


For The Team

by Luxie



Series: The Iunctio-Stones [2]
Category: Free!
Genre: Also appearance by, M/M, Makoto trying to be a good big brother, Medical enhancement, Mention of incest between side characters, Nagisa's sister, scientific experiments
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-03
Updated: 2015-04-13
Packaged: 2018-03-21 03:24:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 27,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3675597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luxie/pseuds/Luxie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The man sitting opposite Haru is clearly skilled at manipulating, weaving truth and lies so delicately that Haru honestly isn't surprised that he had managed to sway someone as trusting as Makoto. But the fact that this man had the <i>nerve</i>-<br/>“Who do you think Makoto would chose to be his Echo?” The man says when he's done telling stories. “Who would you chose, if the situation had been reversed?”<br/>“Makoto.” Haru says truthfully, clenching his hands into fists.</p><p>There isn't much Makoto wouldn't do for the people he loves, so when a doctor offers him a chance to help his brother walk again, Makoto takes the deal. He doesn't understand the cost until it's too late, but at least he's not alone. Haru is with him and Rin and Sousuke. Between the four of them and the rest of their new team mates, they might actually have a chance to make things right.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Makoto

**Author's Note:**

> Hello dear reader!  
> I am pretty sure this can be read as a stand-alone story, but I really want to encourage you to read part one first.  
> No matter what you chose I wish you a pleasant read.  
>   
>  **This is all written and will be posted over the course of the next week.**  
>   
>  Love, Lulu.

Makoto pulls out the chair and sits down opposite the guidance counsellor. He tries not to feel too nervous about being called here, tries to calm his body and smile politely to the middle-aged man sitting on the other side of the desk..

“I'm glad you could make it, Tachibana-kun.” He says.

“Of course.” Makoto says, masking his concern with a smile.

The counsellor returns his smile. “We had a hard time tracking you down.”

The choice of words seems odd to Makoto, after all he's been right here. Okay maybe he's mostly at Haru's place. Or in the study hall. Or hanging out with Haru in the ramen shop two blocks over. But surely, if the school had wanted to speak to him about something -

“Tachibana-kun, I'm sure you're wondering why you're here.” The counsellor says, pressing his fingertips together as he looks Makoto's face over. Makoto nods.

“Your younger brother was in an accident last year, do you remember?”

How could Makoto forget. He had left class and taken the first flight home. Ren had been in the hospital, looking so frail and broken. The doctors had said that he would need a new kidney and Makoto had volunteered one of his without having to think about it. Luckily he and Ren were compatible, but somehow Makoto hadn't doubted that they would be. He and Ren had always been so alike.

It had meant that Makoto could never swim again, not on the level he had before, but that didn't matter to him and competitive swimming was something he had already given up on, anyway.

Haru had arrived that same evening, had left Tokyo as soon as his coach had allowed it. When Makoto went into surgery Haru was there to see him off, waiting in the hospital with Makoto's parents until both Makoto and Ren were awake.

“I know I was away, but I made up for any time lost.”

“Oh, I'm sure you did. That's not why I'm here.” The counsellor says and Makoto blinks at him, feeling sheepish.

“Your tests back then showed that you have a abnormality in your genes. It's nothing bad.” He raises both hands when Makoto's eyes widen, calming Makoto with a smile. “But it's rare and very precious. Just a few people have it and it makes you very special.”

Makoto feels completely lost. “I'm sorry for asking, counsellor, but what does this have to do with my school?”

“Oh, I'm not a counsellor. I'm a doctor. A doctor at a facility that specializes in young people such as yourself.”

“A doctor.” Makoto repeats, hoping that it might help him understand what is going on. Unsurprisingly it doesn't.

“Yes, and we are very interested in having you join us.”

“I'm sorry, I can't. I have school.” The words fall out of his mouth as a apology, even if he's not sure what he's being offered. Not that it matters, though. Too many things have already changed too much.

“Oh, the facility has an excellent program. We teach English and communication. We have high focus on physical activity and we even have a program in anatomy and physical therapy.”

“That sounds good, but-”

“But you live here in Tokyo and you love your college already, yes. That's why I'm here with an offer for you. We will teach you for free and make sure your brother gets the best medical specialists working on a way to get him walking again. How about that.”

“That sounds -” Makoto stutters. “That sounds crazy.”

The Doctor laughs. “I guess it does, but you have to understand. We are very interested in having you on board. Having you be part of our new spacial team.”

Makoto sits in absolute silence, feeling his emotions battle inside him. The offer is almost too good to be true, but if this doctor can do what he says he can, if he can fix Ren's spine and get him walking again-

“I'm going to have to talk to my parents.” He says in the end, because no matter what, Makoto knows his parents will be able to guide him to make the right choice.

“Of course. I actually have a car waiting outside. We can drop you off at your apartment, if you want?”

Makoto nods, head racing and heart beating just a bit too fast. This is all too much and too fast, he can't deal with all of this alone right now.

“Actually,” Makoto says hesitantly. “Can you drop me off somewhere else? I need to speak to my friend.”

 

 

The doctor keeps his word. Ren and Makoto are both flown by helicopter to a large military-looking facility on a small island just off the coast. Makoto has his arm wrapped tightly around Ren while Ren rests his head against Makoto's shoulder, eyes alive for the first time in months.

The waiting room is small and frighteningly clean and Makoto spends most of the four hours alone in a white armchair, fists clenched or tangled in his own hair. When a young woman in a white scrub knocks on the door frame to the waiting room Makoto sits up with a start. He hadn't realised that he had drifted off.

“He's in recovery now, Tachibana-san.” She says. “Your brother is going to be fine.”

“Is it going to work?” Makoto asks, getting to his feet.

The woman smiles at him. “We have every reason to believe he's going to be walking again.” She says and puts a hand on Makoto's shoulder. “You can see him now, if you want?”

“Yes, please.” Makoto says, feeling overwhelmed by the abrupt turn of pace. He remembers when they took out his kidney. Makoto had been forced to stay in bed for two days before he was even allowed to go to the toilet. And even then it had taken another week before his mother allowed him to take the flight back to Tokyo.

When he sees Ren sliding out of the bed and run across the floor with a happy, “Onii-chan!” Makoto's heart almost stops. Not only is Ren on his feet, looking like the past fifteen months in a wheel chair never happened, but he's also looking like there had been no surgery. There are no bandages, no tubes in his nose, the way Makoto remembers from last time. Ren is whole and it's nothing short of a miracle.

“How?” He manages, as Ren runs into his open arms. He turns his head to look at the doctor, but she just smiles back reassuringly.

“You were promised the best medical treatment, weren't you?” She says, with just a sliver of pride in her voice. “The world of science is expanding fast Tachibana-san. You have no idea.”

“I guess I don't.” Makoto agrees, but when he clutches Ren tightly to his chest he realizes, that he really doesn't care. Magic, divine interventions or science, it doesn't matter to him. As long as Ren can smile like this.

They send Ren home the next day. Makoto is anxious to see him fly off, with just a nurse there to hold his hand, but Ren doesn't seem so scared this time. Makoto reminds himself that Ren doesn't actually have any reason to be scared and that maybe the tight feeling in his chest is nothing more than Makoto's own fear of being left behind.

 

 

The next morning Makoto is prepared for his own surgery. The doctor, a kind looking woman that reminds Makoto of his mother, explains the procedure briefly. She explains how she is going to fit a small implant, a special stone, into his spinal cord, that will keep Makoto strong instead of the kidney he had given Ren.

“We need you to be in perfect shape.” She says, padding his shoulder. “Just standard procedure.”

“We just need you to relax, Tacibana-san.” The nurse says, as he fixes an IV to Makoto's skin with a piece of tape, the angle awkward because Makoto is on his stomach instead of his back. “You will feel the doctor touch your spine, but there is nothing to be worried about, she is very skilled at what she does.”

There's a knock on the door and a woman sticks her head in.

“He's just arrived.” She simply says and the doctor nods in response.

“Time to get started, then.” The doctor says and the nurse takes a prepared syringe and fills Makoto's IV with a clear blue liquid..

“Just to help you relax,” He says and Makoto feels himself slipping into a soft state of nothing. It's not until a blinding pain shoots through his back, that Makoto realizes that he can't actually move. He tries to scream, but he can't make a sound.

“You have to relax, Tachibana-san.” The nurse reminds him and if Makoto had the use of his voice he might have sworn at someone for the first time in his life. Instead he tries his best to do as he's told and slowly the pain lessen and the operating room goes dark.

He dreams about sitting around the bonfire with his friends, both the Iwatobi and the Samzuka guys and Kisumi, too. Haru is nodding off next to him, knees bend and head resting on his folded arms. Makoto gets up to fetch a blanket for Haru and Rin snorts and asks if Makoto can feel Haru being cold through their _special connection_. Makoto just smiles, because maybe he can, or maybe he just deludes himself to thinking he can. It wouldn't be the first time he had let his own worry over Haru's well-being taint his perception of what was real.

In the end Haru tips sideways, head landing in Makoto's lap and Makoto doesn't do a thing to wake him.

Ironically, that's when Makoto is hurled awake to a chaotic feeling of panic. There's an invasive sound somewhere next to him, one of the machines he's connected to having gone off.

“Doctor, we need you in the other room.” A voice says.

“What the hell is going on?” The doctor asks, drying her hands in a paper towel.

“There's a problem with Nanase.”

The doctor leaves the room and Makoto realises that he must still be dreaming if Haru is here. Strangely, though, it doesn't feel like the comfortable sanctuary of his dreamscape.

“He's going to fry the stone if we don't get him calm.” A female voice says and the male nurse comes into focus, face hovering over Makoto's head, frown deep.

“Tachibana-san? Makoto? This is important, you have to stop fighting the stone.” The nurse presses, his voice fuzzy and so far away. “If you fight you could hurt Nanase-san. Please.”

“Haru?” Makoto mutters, as Haru's name is used a second time. It's not until Haru's given name is out his mouth that he realizes he can speak again.

Somewhere to his side the angry alarm calms down, beeps slowing.

“Good. That was a close call, Tachibana-san.” The nurse says, kneeling down to be eye level with Makoto. “You calmed down just in time. Everything is going to be fine now.”

“Is Haru okay?” Makoto manages.

“He's fine.” The nurse assures. “Our personal knows what they are doing. He's in good hands.”

“Why is he here?”

“Well, isn't it obvious, Tachibana-san? He's your best friend.”

It isn't much in the way of an answer, on the contrary it leaves Makoto with a flurry of new questions, but he can't seem to string simple words together any more. He feels warm and so very tired, and he might even have fallen asleep if the fever hadn't set in.

 


	2. Haru

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is really short so you get it early.  
> Enjoy a bit of Haru introspection.

“I don't know what happened.” The doctor says. Haru tries to focus on the words, but they aren't meant for him and somehow syllables and whole sentences slip away from him. “I've never seen an Echo accept a stone that easily. But then he had a seizure.”

“Did you run the alpha test?” A new voice asks. It turns out it belongs to a woman, who flashes a torch in Haru's eyes.

“Why would-?” The doctor says and his eyes widen. “You think he's a Conduit too?”

“I could run the test now?” A nurse offers, helping the new doctor get her gloves on.

“No. If he really is a Conduit then he's not going to live that long.” The doctor says, glancing down at Haru. “He'll need to be connected to an Echo within the next few hours or we'll lose him, _both of them_ , most likely.”

“He's already running a fever.” Haru feels the nurse pad him gently under his nose and realise that it's bleeding. “If his heart doesn't slow down we'll lose him.”

“Then get me a stone right now. We're going to have to go on faith.”

Haru is flipped to his stomach again by strong arms and then there is a press of fingers along his spine. The fingers skip carefully over the source of the burning pain, right where his neck melts into back, and continues downwards until they reach a point at his lower back.

“Here.” The woman says and presses again, fingers digging in between the knobs of Haru's spine.

“No.” Haru chokes out, because he knows there is no way he can survive that pain again. “Stop, please.”

“Can we get him sedated?” The doctor says and a nurse appears at his left with a syringe, filling his IV again and Haru goes blessedly numb.

 

 

20 hours earlier.

 

Haru _knows_ when he's being fed bullshit.

He knows, because he listens and sorts everything into neat boxes in his head. Things he cannot fit into his boxes are either cast aside as `too much effort´ or, in the case of Makoto, picked apart until they make sense.

Makoto gets special treatment. Haru isn't sure why, except it's always just been that way. Haru has always made an effort to know and understand everything about Makoto and as a result they have what they have today, a bond that leaves some people in awe and others with the assumption that they're actually soulmates.

To be honest, Haru has never done much to correct people's assumptions, just like he's never corrected them when they labelled him _rude, spoiled and slow._

Instead he had used both Makoto and the labels as an armour and as a result people stopped expecting things from Haru, which left him with a lot of extra time to listen and sort.

Makoto, on the other hand, is gullible and innocent and far too easy to abuse. Haru knows this from experience. When they were younger he would let Makoto do the talking and socializing, let Makoto introduce them both and once in a while he even left Makoto to face the fallout of Haru's stunts alone. Why Makoto has put up with him for all these years is something Haru still, despite a lifetime of trying to understand his friend, haven't figured out.

The man sitting opposite Haru is clearly skilled at manipulating, weaving truth and lies so delicately that Haru honestly isn't surprised that he had managed to sway someone as trusting as Makoto. But the fact that this man _had the nerve_ -

“He is going to need what we call an Echo, someone who will ground him and help him be strong. It has to be someone he can trust with his life. Who do you think Makoto would chose?” The man says when he's done telling stories. “Who would you chose, if the situation had been reversed?”

“Makoto.” Haru says truthfully, clenching his hands into fists. Silently Haru uses up every swear word he knows and in the end Haru fixes the man with cold eyes and tells him that he is ready to leave right away. Not that's he's given much choice.

 

  

Once the procedure is over and the doctors are sure Haru and Makoto's bodies are accepting both of the stones, they are rolled into the same recovery room, because Haru makes insistent demands. Makoto is already out cold, his big body arranged meticulously in the small bed in a way that makes Haru believe that he was unconscious when they moved him into it from the operating table. He breathes softly, chest rising and falling, and Haru watches the familiar features of his face until the drugs kick in and Haru finally drifts off too.

He dreams of Makoto. They're in Haru's house, lying stretched out in the sun that streams in through the open doors to the garden. The floor boards are warm and they're both stripped down to their underwear, less than the space of a hand between them. For some reason, even that small distance annoys Haru and he gets to his knees. He moves slowly to straddle Makoto's hips and even though Makoto's brows rises in question, he doesn't stop Haru. Instead there's a curious smile on Makoto's face and Haru feels brave enough to rock against Makoto's crotch. He gets a surprised moan for his boldness and Haru continues to grind against his friend as his own body grows demanding.

Haru wakes up when the orgasm hits him. Through the shame of the loud moan that leaves his mouth Haru becomes aware that, in the bed next to his, Makoto is awake, sitting upright and stiffly. When Haru calms himself enough to look over, he sees that Makoto's cheeks are flushed, chest heaving and there is no mistaking the shame on his face.

At first Haru thinks it's from watching Haru come in his sleep, but then he looks closer and realises that Makoto's underwear is soiled, too, and that his eyes are unfocused in a way Haru has only seen once before and then pretended to never have seen, for the sake of their friendship and the sanctity of sleepovers.

“Haru!” Makoto croaks out and Haru is impressed he even manages that, at least if he feels anything like Haru does right now.

Haru thinks he understands energies pretty well.

He understands the calm, healing energy of the water. The way it works around him, with him, when he swims. He understands the warm fire of Rin, the sparks and passion that pushes Haru to be better. He's beginning to understand the steady, stubborn electricity of Sousuke. It got easier when Sousuke began to settle, began trusting people around him and sorted out the Chaos inside himself. And he knows Makoto's energy all too well, knows it like he knows his own, ever present and dependable. Nagisa's impatient and constantly moving energy and Rei's reasoning and curious energy.

But this energy, the turbulent pull in his chest that leaves him strung out and wrecked, that's something completely new and he doesn't have the slightest chance to figure out how he's supposed to deal with it.

He's out of his bed, without having made a conscious decision, Makoto mirroring him with a strangled noise. Even though his legs won't quite carry him Haru doesn't stop moving towards Makoto. When his knees buckle he starts crawling, instead, crawls right into Makoto's arms, onto his lap. The insistent pull lessens, but the need in Haru doesn't.

He's never felt anything like this before, never felt this raw and vulnerable, lust burning through his body and melting his brain cells.

“I need-” He says, but Makoto's mouth is already on his. Haru's paper gown slips off his shoulder and that should leave him feeling even more vulnerable, but having Makoto under him, having his hands and lips pressing against his skin, Haru feels completely safe for the first time since the doctor had ordered Haru to sit down and listen.

The second orgasm rolls through his body like a tidal wave, but he doesn’t feel any better afterwards, would probably feel even worse if he was the sort of person to feel shame.

“What's going on?” Haru manages, but it doesn't seem like Makoto has an answer for him

 


	3. Makoto

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once this chapter is done you should have been introduced fully to this 'verse. If there are still things that are unclear to you (if you haven't read Part One) feel free to leave a comment explaining your confusion and I will try to edit the first few chapters to make things more clear. I want this to be able to stand alone.

Their assigned ward is three times as big as Makoto's flat in Tokyo, but still it seems confining and suffocating. Maybe it's because Makoto's world is zoomed in on Haru and Haru is a regular thunderstorm of rare emotion.

For a while Makoto thinks Haru is angry with him. He doesn't think that's quite fair, because it's not like Makoto actually brought Haru here, not like he demanded to be connected to Haru.

The polite woman who comes to their ward on the first day out of recovery explains that they had chosen Haru, because it was evident from their information, that the relation between the two of them was perfect for the bond. They hadn't seen a reason to risk Makoto's life by waiting to bring Haru in, when their compatibility was so obvious.

“Did you inform him of any of this before you tricked him here?” Haru spits out, eyes ice, and Makoto feels the weight lift off his heart, because Haru isn't angry at him. He's angry at the people running this facility.

“Of course not.” She says, tilting her head as she smiles. “This place. What we do here, how we operate. It's top secret. We can't go around giving out sensitive information like that. What if Makoto had refused our offer?”

“How could he refuse when you offered to fix his brother's spine?” Haru presses, getting to his feet. The woman doesn't seem to mind him.

“Well, it sounds like everyone benefited from this arrangement, then.” She says instead and there's something in her voice that makes even Haru back down.

“You said something about Haru and I being different than your usual – eh, couples.” Makoto says, both to break the tension, but also because he doesn't want to hear the next words out of Haru's mouth, doesn't want to hear Haru arguing how he hasn't gotten anything out of this deal, except a ruined career and a questionable and intimate bond to his best friend.

“Oh, yes. Chance has it you both have the gene that allows you to be a Conduit.” She says, sweetness back in her voice. “It's the first time we see it, even though several of our Echoes are childhood friends with their Conduits and come from the Iwatobi area, where we believe the gene originates. The gene is just that rare. To find it in both of you is, well, a statistical improbability.”

“What does that mean?” Haru cuts in before Makoto can form a response.

“Well, we'll have to test you some more, of course, but it would seem that the connection benefits you both.” She turns on the tablet she has brought and slides it towards them. “You'll both have access to a unique power and you will both need the other to recharge after you've use your powers. From what we can gather about the nature of your connection, simple touches should be enough. In most ways, though, it would be exactly like a standard connection.”

Makoto isn't sure what a that means. He's never heard of this procedure before, never heard of superheroes or secret labs that implants stones into people to make them better. So how in the world can there be a standard?

“The purple stone is Tachibana-san's.” The woman continues and gestures towards the slide show that has started on the screen. “And the blue stone is Nanase-san's. This short film will help you understand a bit more about the stones and their powers.”

She gets to her feet. “Meals will be brought to you for the first couple of days, until the connection is complete and you are ready to be introduced to the rest of your team. Until then you can contact the staff with the red button by the door.”

She leaves and for a while the only sound is the soft classical music from the slide show.

“Are you okay?” Makoto asks Haru.

“Seriously?” Haru says, voice coloured by emotion and Makoto can't stop himself flinching. “That's what you're worried about? That's your most pressing question right now?”

Makoto lets out a silent breath and fits a smile back on his face. “There are many questions, but I think I know you well enough to guess the answers to most of them. You're not angry with me, but you think I'm too trusting and easily manipulated.. You are angry with the people here, however, because they tricked us both. And they didn't promise you anything. You came here because they told you I needed you.” He says and when Haru turns his face away Makoto can't stop a real smile, because Haru is predictable if nothing else.

“Don't make assumptions.” Haru lectures, but there's no anger in his voice.

 

 

There's not much for them to do in their ward and Haru grows restless pretty quickly, with no windows and no larger body of water available. So maybe it's not really surprising when Haru strips down completely and gets in the shower.

He stays under the spray for hours and Makoto wonders if he should feel awkward being closed up with a naked Haru after what they have done. He can't close his own eyes without seeing Haru's flushed face and open mouth, can't brush fingers over his own skin without feeling Haru's hands on him instead.

But for some reason it doesn't feel awkward. Somehow it feels like a long time coming, which is foolish, because Haru and he had never been like that, even if Nagisa had been sure. Frankly, Makoto isn't sure where Nagisa had gotten the idea from. Maybe Makoto isn't a expert on sex, or even attraction, but he's pretty sure he and Haru had never had any kind of sexual tension between them.

Of course they had touched. Gentle touches, brushes of hands to get each other's attention, comforting hugs when one of them had been especially distressed. But they were best friends, surely that sort of thing was normal between friends, especially for someone as handsy as Nagisa.

When Haru finally emerges from the open shower stall he doesn't bother covering up, instead using the towel to dry his hair. The fact that Makoto is busy re-watching the slide show is purely coincidental.

A couple of young women bring them trays of food and Makoto assumes it must be dinner. He's not quite sure though, because the clock on the wall shows four o'clock and with no windows it's hard to tell if it's afternoon or morning.

They eat the miso soup in silence and Makoto hadn't realised he was starving. His body is still wrecked with lust and a desperate _need_ to reach out and touch Haru. Somehow that had been enough to push aside all other human needs.

He wonders if Haru feels something similar or if the time he spend in the shower has cleared his head. Going by the way Haru wraps his arms around himself after he's eaten, eyes going distant, Makoto suspects that Haru is still feeling the effects of their connection. Makoto isn't even sure if this feeling is supposed to go away, but maybe, at least, there's a way to distract them both.

“Here.” Makoto says and takes an apple from their food tray. He crosses his legs and puts the apple on the floor in front of him.

Haru frowns at him, but Makoto is pretty sure Haru understands. He's just not sure Haru will play along.

“This isn't swim practice.” Haru says, but his eyes are still fixated on the apple.

“They want to use us for combat. That's a pretty good reason to train our reflexes.” He's not sure what made him think of the _karuta_ grabbing they learned back in middle school, but Makoto always found it fun to do. Haru had been faster than Makoto for a long time, but in the end they would always end up tied.

For now, at least, it's a distraction. Thinking about the signal and nothing else.

Reluctantly Haru joins him. He has put on pyjamas pants that are riding low on his hips, but his chest is bare and his hair still slightly damp and there is something so familiar about Haru looking like this, like he just came out of the pool, that for a moment Makoto feels comforted and safe.

“What's the signal.” Haru asks, crossing his legs.

Makoto hadn't thought that far. “How about the tablet? Maybe there's an alarm clock app?”

Haru leans back and stretches for the tablet that is lying on the floor less than a meter away. Makoto isn't sure why his eyes lock on Haru's body when he moves, because he's seen Haru's naked torso enough times that it shouldn't faze him at all, except it's actually been a while, come to think of it, and Haru have somehow managed to get more defined and surprisingly more graceful, too.

The tablet doesn't have an alarm clock, but there are a few other films stored on it and one of them starts with loud music and a man's voice explaining the idea with the facility. They should probably watch that at some point, but that's for later. Right now Haru starts the first film again, skipping through most of the twenty minutes long slide show. As the last minute or so of the tune plays, the two take their positions. Makoto tries to force his body into the calm limbo where he can react without having to think, but he's too distracted by Haru's eyes, by the closeness that somehow seems to give Makoto a vague satisfaction, but just enough to make him want more.

The video stops and all Makoto can hear is blood pumping in his ears. Across from him Haru is holding his breath.

They are both too slow to react when the next film starts, but Makoto is just a beat faster and Haru's hand closes over his around the apple. The moment their fingers brush against each other Makoto feels his face flush and his body reacts instantly and violently. The point of connection feels like it's on fire and the fire spreads through Makoto's body, rushing to his crotch and he lets out a surprised moan.

Haru pulls away, eyes wide, but they are glazed from lust and he looks every bit as overwhelmed and wrecked as Makoto feels.

“What-” Makoto starts, but Haru cuts him off, not by words, but by holding out his hand, palm up.

It's not that Makoto isn't thoroughly tempted. His whole body is screaming for more, more of Haru, but he's just not sure if Haru actually wants this or if he's just testing if Makoto wants it.

Putting such alternate motives in Haru's head is horrible, though. Haru isn't the kind of person who schemes, nor is he the kind to offer something if he isn't certain he wants to give it, so Makoto reaches out, slowly placing his own palm against Haru's.

The reaction is as instant and overwhelming as before, but this time neither of them pull away. Instead they close their fingers around each other's wrists, holding on tightly and Makoto feels pleasure pulsing through his body with every heart beat. He feels his cock throbbing, can actually see it hardening as his body relocates blood so quickly it leaves him dizzy. Maybe that's why it seems so unreal when the orgasm actually rolls through him. The concept of being a `climax´ is completely stripped from the rush of pleasure he feels, because it took nothing, except skin-on-skin contact, to achieve.

 

 

Makoto keeps his distance for the rest of the day, not because he's afraid to touch Haru by accident and ruin another pair of boxers, but because he needs time to think, time to process what this means for their relationship and the madness they are apparently stuck in now.

When Haru starts nodding off, leaned against the headboard of his own bed, Makoto decides it's time for bed. It might as well be daytime, there is no way of telling. The food seems to arrive randomly and, at least if they are to trust the clock on the wall, the deliverance has nothing to do with regular meal times.

Makoto can't fall a sleep, though. There is too much nervous energy running through his body. He tells himself it's because his body is craving to be used, to run or swim until he can feel his muscles getting tired and he's sure that's at least part of the reason. But another part of it is Haru breathing softly just a few meters away and he tries not to think about how easy it is for his body to react to Haru when it never has before.

The second day Makoto wakes up to Haru naked in the shower. Makoto's bed has a clear view of the shower stall, but luckily Haru is sitting on the floor of the stall, knees pulled up and arms hugging himself. Makoto isn't sure if Haru has been watching him sleep, but as soon as Makoto opens his eyes Haru gives him a cautious smile.

“Good Morning.” Makoto greets and rubs his eyes. He is still sleeping on his stomach, both of them are, the pain in their spine still to sharp.

“I couldn’t sleep.” Haru says and it's not hard to guess why. Even now Makoto can feel a pull in his chest and when he moves hesitantly he can feel his own hard cock brush against the mattress.

“This is really frustrating.” Haru continues. “Do you think we could touch again? Maybe it would clear my head.”

Images of the two of them, naked in the shower getting off together, invades Makoto's mind and he blushes. He knows that's not what Haru is asking, though and he slips out of bed and kneels in front of Haru, drops ricocheting off Haru's naked skin and landing on Makoto.

“You think-” Haru's arm is unwrapping from his hold on himself, but it's not quite reaching Makoto's offered hand. “You think it will keep being like this?”

Makoto takes his time to find the right words, because he's not sure which answer Haru would like better. In the end he decides it's better if he just asks Haru. After all, Haru wouldn't lie or feel uncomfortable about telling Makoto the truth, no matter what it was.

“I think so.” Makoto says. “Do you want it to stop?”

“No.” Haru replies instantly, as if he had expected Makoto to ask, even if Makoto hadn’t even known himself that he was going to. “But it changes things. With us.”

“I know. I can't help you out of the water any more.” Makoto jokes, because lightening the mood is the only thing he can do when Haru becomes like this.

“I want to have sex with you.” Haru says and he doesn't even blush, which is probably because Haru is shameless and has a casual approach to intimacy. Makoto has always know, he just never thought he'd be in the receiving end of it.

“I- Because of the bond?” Makoto blurts out, suddenly feeling in way over his head. Having honest conversations with Haru didn't seem this intense when they were in High School.

Haru nods and Makoto relaxes, because at least it's a new development and that means Makoto hasn't been screwing around with Haru's emotions for the past few years, like Nagisa once jokingly accused him off.

He had almost told Nagisa back then, that if anyone was screwing around with anyone's feelings it was the other way around, because all Haru had to do was ask and Makoto would give him what ever he wanted. He had managed to keep his mouth shut, though, which was a good thing, because he would only partially have meant it. Not that he would have refused Haru, even if he wasn't sure at that time what Haru could even want from him and what it would mean to give Haru what he asked for. But the thing is, he would just have been saying it out of spite, because Nagisa's accusation had hurt, even if it had been meant in good fun.

He didn't actually feel any attraction towards Haru back then, but now?

If Haru rephrased his words to make them a request, would Makoto go along with it?

Makoto never gets the chance to figure out how he actually feels, though, because Haru has finally closed the distance and is grabbing around Makoto's wrist and Makoto instinctively closes his own hand around Haru's thin wrist, too.

The build is slower this time, but somehow it also seems less nervous. Fire rushes through his veins and before he knows it the beats of his heart that pumped blood to his cock is now beating come out of it in thick spurts. The pleasure doesn't stop coiling, though, not until Haru finally releases him, and Makoto wonders if they could come a second time, if they kept holding on to each other for longer.

 

 

On the third day the young woman, who gave them their introduction, returns. She smiles at them and tells them that their connection has successfully been established. It's faster than normally, apparently, but they have their close friendship and their willingness to be intimate to thank for it, she tells them. The way she says it and the way she smiles to Makoto makes him think they have been watched this whole time.

He tries not to let that freak him out. Maybe he should have expected it, it looks like Haru had, but either way he doesn't think they've done anything that should warrant the rush of blood to his face. It's not like they've been having sex or even making out.

“The Conduits are out on a Field Training Session.” She informs them as she leads them out of the ward. “The Echoes doesn't join them on principle, mainly because if an Echo got hurt we would risk losing the Conduit, too. Sometimes the Echo's have a power that makes them useful in the field, though, and one of the Conduits on your team uses so much energy on his power that his Echo will have to restore him constantly, so in that specific case the Echo is allowed to join them in Field Training.”

“They do – that – in the field?” Makoto asks awkwardly.

“All bonds are different and the property of your stone decides how you restore each other. Your connection is especially powerful, probably due to the fact that your are both Conduits.”

“So it's not normal to-” Makoto starts, hoping she will understand, because he doesn't feel like elaborating.

Apparently the woman doesn't have any qualms in that area. “Come in your pants from innocent physical contact? No, that's not the standard. But as I said, all connections vary.”

“So we will both have to join these training missions?” Haru asks, actually sounding interested.

“That's the plan.”

“And where do we go? During training?” Haru presses and Makoto finally catches up to Haru's trail of thoughts. Apparently so does the woman.

“Somewhere remote and undisclosed.” She says with a tight smile. “We're not new to this, Nanase-san. Many before you have wanted to escape. But I have to remind you that you've both signed a contract.”

Haru turns his face away and Makoto can practically feel his anger at being so easily found out. If there's something Haru hates it's being transparent, but it's probably even worse being called on it.

“Oh, Matsuoka-san,” The woman says, looking over their shoulders. The name has them both spinning, Haru more gracefully than Makoto, and Makoto can feel his heart speed up. “Why don't you say hello to the newest additions to your team?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who haven't read High Speed 2:  
>  _Karuta grabbing_ is a concept introduced to Haru and Makoto in their first year in middle school by their young swim coach. It consists of two opponents trying to grab an item first. They will both have to sit and wait for the signal to go off, but if they wait for their brains to process the signal they will be too slow. So they have to train to make their body react with out thinking. This makes them quicker on the starting block.


	4. Rin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG this is a Rin Chapter and not a Haru Chapter, what is the crazy writer doing changing things up!!!??
> 
> So this definitely isn't a short chapter either (little over 4k and thereby twice as long as the last few chapters) but I'm trying to tell a really complicated story here, and who am I kidding you'll all probably just be thrilled.  
> Enjoy.

Hearing from Makoto and Haru that he has been presumed dead by most of the outside world takes more out of Rin than he lets on. He had been snatched up in the middle of the night by military-clad men and even though they had sedated him, Rin had not gone quietly. His place must have been wrecked.

They tell him that his mother is in denial, that she thinks Rin has run off to get away from the pressure of the spotlight and somehow that doesn't surprise Rin. When Rin told his mother that he would become an Olympic swimmer to live out his father's dream, she had looked at him with an oddly sad smile and told him that even the best swimmer can't conquer the raging sea. He though she had been talking about Rin's father, but as he grew older Rin realized she had been talking about the raging sea of emotions inside Rin's heart.

She understood him better than most people, understood his passion and his need to prove himself, but she also knew that there was a risk of Rin drowning in the attempt.

He imagines her going out to the lookout, to his father's stone, to light a lantern every night to help Rin find his way home, the way she did when they lost Rin's father to the ocean.

He is equally unsurprised to hear that Gou is raising hell to find the men who killed her brother. Even when they were kids Gou could be a terrible force of fury and determination. Because of that, Rin might be the only big brother in the modern history of big brothers, who never dared to mess with his sister's barbie dolls.

When Rin realized his little sister had become the manager of Haru's swim team Rin had actually felt a chill down his spine. And she didn't disappoint. She collected data and made strategies like tomorrow wouldn't come if she hadn't planned it.

Having her looking for him is like having bloodhounds at his heals, but Rin knows Gou has no chance, that the data she needs to track him down doesn't exist. She is chasing down blind leads and knocking on locked doors. At best, her search ends when she realizes that Sousuke isn't in rehabilitation after his shoulder operation, that they are in fact both missing.. She will make her assumptions and Rin is fine with that.

As long as she doesn't get mixed up with these people.

 

 

With the arrival of Makoto and Haru things begin to feel a lot like High School all over again. Except now the four of them are actually coupled up the way everyone assumed they were back then.

Or almost coupled up. It's awkward, okay?

Rin is still trying to work around the fact that his body and mind isn't always on the same page, because while his head stills tells him Sousuke is a dork, who snores too loudly and have defined male parts that Rin has absolutely no interest in, the bond he shares with Sousuke makes him feel attraction, makes his heart speed up when Sousuke touches him or, hell, even just when Sousuke _looks_ at him.

Rin is dealing with it, though. Sousuke accepts that Rin isn't his to touch just for the fun of it and in exchange Rin makes a point of letting Sousuke know that he can always come to Rin when it actually matters, when ever he has drained himself or before going on a Field Mission.

Sousuke and he aren't the only ones who have to adjust, though. Makoto tells the two of them about their connection and Rin almost, _almost_ , feels blessed, because at least he can still slap Sousuke on the back of the head or sit shoulder to shoulder with him during meal time with out coming in his pants.

And then there's training. Haru and Makoto participates for some of the exercises, but mostly they just look on, refusing to touch in public. Apart from the one time where Makoto panicked and fell on Haru, there haven't been any accidents that lead to the two of them accidentally shooting their load during training sessions.

It has happened in their spare time, however, and to make it better it was on the first day, just a few minutes after Rin had demanded to see it live and Sousuke had called him a pervert. But, seriously, it's not like any other part of their lives feel real any more, what with having superpowers and doing combat training in a top secret facility. So when Makoto finally spills the beans on what happens when he and Haru touches, it doesn't even feel weird to ask for a demonstration, because everything else is so anime that they might as well turn it hentai, while they're at it.

And Sousuke might have been the one to call Rin a pervert, but he's the one who _accidentally_ walks into Haru's space in the doorway so Haru has to take a step back and ends up pressed against Makoto.

They're both wearing t-shirts so nothing happens at first, except both of them going slightly flushed. But then they both try moving apart too quickly and they stumble and Makoto grabs onto Haru's arm to keep him from falling. Instead of keeping Haru on his feet, though, Makoto lets out a strangled moan and Rin watches in amazement as his two friends turns into rag doll versions of themselves and crashes to the floor. Even then the two doesn't let go, just keep holding on to each other like they are the only thing keeping the other from falling off a cliff, which is ironic because it only takes a few very hot moans before they both tumble over, anyway.

Next to him Sousuke just stares, mouth tight and eyes wide and Rin is pretty sure he's fighting not to laugh.

“How does your body even have time to react to that, it wasn't even a minute.” Rin questions and is rewarded by Haru flipping him of. Rin laughs. “That something you've picked up in Tokyo?”

Next to Haru Makoto is working up the cutest blush.

 

 

Hanging out with Haru and Makoto and sometimes Kisumi, too, helps take Rin's mind off the fact that he can't swim. Sometimes he leaves his and Sousuke's ward and goes to the training room, just to find Haru there already, kicking the living daylight out of a sandbag.

“I asked for a pool.” Rin says one night when he stretches. He sits down and spreads his legs wide, then leans forward to flatten his torso as close to the floor as possible. Being flexible is something Rin has always seen as one of his main strengths. It helps him get the turn perfect and those fragments of a second was a big part of how he's gotten to where he is.

Or _was_. Shit.

“What did they say?” Haru asks between punches. He's not wearing gloves and his knuckles are red and scraped.

“That the chlorine wasn't good for our lungs.” Rin says, forcing his eyes away from Haru's hands. “I told them about salt water pools and they said they'd consider it. Honestly, we're on an island. They could just let us swim in the ocean, it's not like we could swim eight kilometres across open water, anyway.”

“Three point seven.” Haru corrects and finally stops hurting himself.

“How do you know that?” Rin asks, because Haru sounds like he has already calculated the possibility of escape. After all, the four of them are pretty strong swimmers, even in the ocean. Especially now that Sousuke has full use of his shoulder.

“I flew over it when they brought me here.”

“You came here willingly? Why?”

“Makoto needed me.”

“Figures.”

“You signed the contract, too.” Haru is quick to point out and Rin has no comeback for that. “I can't do it, though.” Haru continues. “I can't leave.”

“Why? Because of the contract? I doubt anything about it is legal, anyway. We were all coerced.”

“No, because of Makoto.” Haru says, drying the back of his neck with a towel. “He can't do it.”

“Still scared of the ocean.” Rin remembers.

“Probably. But that's not why.” Haru says. “He only has one kidney, he gave the other to his brother after the car accident. That kind of physical strain could kill him.”

“I didn't know.”

“Guess you fell out of contact.” Haru says coolly. “Again.”

That stings. God it stings and Rin has to turn his head away, in a very Haru-ish way. Maybe this is why Haru does it. Because his emotions doesn't have the same filter as other people's and turning his face away is his way to protect himself. Rin know for a fact it's not because Haru is cold-hearted and uncaring, like many assume.

“Look,” he starts, but Haru brushes him off with the wave of a hand.

“It's not important any more.” Haru says softly and comes over to sit opposite Rin, feet pressing against Rin's so they can help each other stretch.

 

 

Rin is surprised to discover that he _minds_ Makoto and Sousuke spending time alone together. He reminds himself that he has no actual claim to Sousuke, but somehow it feels like lying.

It's not even like Sousuke and Makoto are doing anything, except hanging out and being broad-shouldered, but Makoto is an easy-going guy and of course he can make Sousuke smile.

The first time Rin sees it he almost calls Sousuke over, just to spilt them up, but he knows that would be wildly unfair. After all, he and Haru hangs out alone sometimes and Haru is more tactile with him than Rin has ever experienced before, probably because Haru isn't touching Makoto a lot these days.

Luckily, being petty about Sousuke and Makoto's blossoming bromance is something Rin works through pretty fast. In fact, he reminds himself that it's probably pretty damn healthy for all four of them to mingle with someone who isn't their partner and when Rin drags Makoto with him to the gym one day, he is reminded that Makoto is a pretty awesome guy to be around.

“So what's the deal with you two.” Rin says when Makoto has wrestled Rin to the matt for the second time in a row.

Rin isn't losing on purpose, not really, but he has spend enough time with Haru and received enough casual touches, to know that if Haru is touch-starved then Makoto must be worse off. He hasn't seen Makoto and Sousuke touch, maybe both of them aware that it's a dangerous line to cross for them both. So Rin has taken it upon himself to challenge Makoto to a contact sport, even if he knows Makoto has both his strength and stamina in his favour, on top of being much more agile than what should be expected for someone Makoto's size.

He remembers Haru's words, however, and makes sure not to push Makoto harder than Rin estimates one kidney can handle.

“It's complicated. “Makoto says, hesitating a second before he takes Rin's offered hand so Rin can pull him to his feet. “We can't even do this.” Makoto says, referring to the simple act of pulling the other person to his feet.

“After you've come,” Rin says, deciding it's better not to dodge around the subject like middle-schoolers. “what happens if you don't let go?”

As expected Makoto blushes instantly. “We haven't really-”

“Don't give me that crap.” Rin interrupts. “You can't make me believe you guys haven't tested it. Awkward or not, getting off with in the span of a minute is like, the ultimate gift.”

“No, I mean. We do touch, sometimes.” Makoto admits with a shy smile. “But it's – difficult – with Haru.”

“Haru being difficult, what a surprise.”

“It's not Haru being difficult. It's just, Haru and I are best friends. We had sleepovers until I left for Tokyo – don't laugh.”

“He lives two hundred meters from your house.”

“It was easier.” Makoto objects, looking hurt and Rin schools the smile off his face. “Anyway, I'm afraid, and I think Haru feels the same, that if we let something happen, something more than just getting off when we have to recharge, then there might not be an exit. We're already so close. We've been best friends for longer than any of us can remember. Adding things like sex-”

“You're scared.”

“I love Haru. I'd do anything for him. That never scared me before, but if we step out of this safe zone, I'm afraid it will be one long tumble down through a ravine where Haru is my only fixture. And I might enjoy the ride and we might never hit rock-bottom, but there's no stopping. No going back.” Makoto is looking at his hands, eyes glossy and Rin has to throw an arm around Makoto's neck and pull him in for a hug.

“You know we'd never let that happen, right?” Rin says, breathing into Makoto's neck. “Sousuke and I, Kisumi, Hana, Aki. You're still part of a team and maybe we're not swimming any more, but we're still in this together, okay? For the team.”

“For the team.” Makoto repeats, pulling out of the hug. “I'm sorry, I forgot.”

“Forgot what?”

“That you're a pretty good listener.”

“I'm a pretty good everything.” Rin shoots back and winks. Makoto blushes slightly. “Look, let's shower and find our significant others.”

“Unless they've already killed each other while we've been away.” Makoto adds and picks his towel off the floor. Rin has to admit it's a likely scenario.

 

 

“We're heading out on a training mission tomorrow.” Their trainer calls out when he arrives the next day, waving them all together. “Considering your poor result on your last outing, I have changed the exercises a bit for today, starting with all of the Conduits taking a little time to connect properly to their powers. I know it sounds lame, but _let the connection guide you_. Use your Echoes!”

Rin leans in to Sousuke's ear and whispers, “Yeah, Sousuke. Use me.”

Sousuke actually blushes slightly and to top the joke off their trainer ends his rant by saying, “And spend the evening recharging. No exceptions.” while he actually points at Sousuke, who had refused to ask Rin to help him recharge for their last outing and had ended up drained to the point of collapsing.

“Look, I get it.” Sousuke says when they find their matt. “No need to be a dick about it.”

“Come on, it was just a joke.” Rin says holding out both hands to Sousuke so they can use each other for counter weight as they lean backwards. Holding Sousuke's stare, Rin makes a point of interlacing their fingers. “You know I like it when you use me.”

“No, you don't.”

“I don't hate it.”

“You don't hate it?” Sousuke mocks. “Gee thanks.”

“Hey.” Rin says, giving Sousuke's hands a light squeeze. “I've been thinking. If you want to touch me more, you can. Okay?”

“Why?”

“Cause I'm bored out of my mind and wanna get off?”

“You _are_ a dick!”

“No, okay, that wasn't funny. But-” He closes his eyes and tries to focus, because it all made perfect sense in his head this morning. “I just, last night-”

“If I'd known we were going out tomorrow I would have waited. I wouldn't have asked you to do that.”

“No, but I liked it.”

“You liked it?” Sousuke repeats, raising his eyebrows. “Sure you just - _didn't hate it_?”

“Funny.” Rin says and Sousuke's face splits in a smile, so damn proud of his own joke.

They finish stretching in silence, while Sousuke connects with his powers. A few times Rin feels Sousuke in his head, pictures of sandy beaches, bonfires and star-filled night skies flickering through Rin's mind. There's a stab of pain when Rin is suddenly back in Sydney, crowd cheering and a smiling man hanging an Olympic gold medal around Rin's neck, but the pain is gone when Rin is back at Regionals in their second year of High School, laughing and crying with Makoto, Haru and Nagisa. Rin had forgotten Sousuke had actually seen that, but Sousuke makes the scenario seem so real, like Rin is actually there, the arms of his friends clutching him, the smell of chlorine and the cheer of the crowd.

Sousuke pulls out of Rin's head and Rin tries to look into the teal eyes opposite him, realizing that Sousuke is blurred because Rin is crying in real life, too.

“I'm sorry.” Sousuke mutters, “I though scenarios like that would be better than – you know.”

“Sex scenarios that get me off in public?”

“Yeah.” He gives Rin a small smile and Rin is pretty sure it's not because of Rin's bluntness. More likely it's because Rin is, once again, crying like a kid.

Drying his eyes with the back of his hand Rin gets to his feet, but Sousuke doesn't move to follow him. Instead he looks up at Rin through his eyelashes, that bastard.

“Look, when I'm recharging it's supposed to feel good, because of the connection. Because I get in your head.” Sousuke says. “Don't get that mixed up with actually wanting me.”

“Are you trying to talk me out of wanting to have sex with you?”

“Just,” Sousuke says and then apparently he can't even face Rin any more, because he turns his head away, eyes going distant. “Don't mess with me.”

“I'm not!” Rin says, tilting his head to catch Sousuke's eyes. “Sousuke, I'm not.”

Their trainer calls them together again and Rin offers Sousuke his hand. With a court nod Sousuke takes the hand and lets Rin pull him to his feet and Rin knows that Sousuke just accepted his offer.

“When you're out in the field you absolutely need to be able to trust your team mates. To do that you need three things. You need to read your enemy. You need to know your team mates and their powers. You need to take that knowledge and figure out how you can use your combined powers to beat your enemy.” Their trainer paces the room as he talks, hands on his hips. “So let's make sure everyone knows what people on this team can do. Let's start with the new guys. Nanase, what's your power?”

“Water.” Haru says instantly.

“Why am I not surprised?” Aki says,

“Wait, you only have one element?” Kisumi says surprised, as if he had expected more from his hero, as if – at least – Haru's power would be to control the pull of the moon to move water. “I can use them all...”

“I don't get worn out like you.” Haru says, not meeting Kisumi's eyes.

“Also, Haru can make ice.” Makoto supplies.

“So you can shoot ice spikes at people?”

“Not during training.” The trainer reminds them. “During training you only use harmless versions of your powers. What about you Tachibana-kun?”

“I don't know.” Makoto says. “I haven't gotten my powers to work just yet.”

“You have a purple stone, though. That's interesting.”

“Just give him a water gun and it's an easy win.” Sousuke suggests, earning a boo from Kisumi. Haru, on the other hand, looks at Makoto with something like fondness and Rin hopes it's not because of some sex thing. Rei had told him about Haru and Makoto's showdown when they played the survival game, how Makoto had been completely in charge and how exciting and intense it had been between the two. More likely, though, Haru is just thinking about water.

The rest of the Conduits take turns talking about their powers. Nagisa's sister Hinata can create force waves. Rin can still recall the time Aki accidentally made her come during an attunement exercise and they were all thrown to the floor as if a supersonic blast had gone off.

Kisumi, of course, has control of the four elements like some kind of Avatar. It's ridiculously draining for him, though, so his Echo Kyo has to follow him around during field training.

Then there's Gou's friend Hana, who can turn herself invisible. She is the teams main scout, which works out perfectly, because she has an excellent sense of direction. Rin knows Sousuke tends to follow her when they're out, which is cool until they run into enemies and Hana suddenly vanishes.

Of course Sousuke will be fine. He can go into people's heads and create images, make them think he's not even there. He can even control them and make them leave the way they came. It's pretty handy, but it doesn't help him when Hana is gone and he's lost in the woods.

Rin and the other two Echo's, that aren't going on the training mission, are excused early while the rest of them go over tactics.

Rin feels his stomach coil and the inside of his chest flutter with butterflies, and he has to admit to himself that he's actually nervous, just from thinking about having sex with Sousuke. But it doesn't matter. He's already made up his mind and he knows without a doubt that he wants this.

It's pretty unexpected, but somehow he thinks it has been building inside of him for a while now. He prefers to think of it as a natural progression, at least.

He's heard the trainer tell Sousuke that, during training missions, he's not allowed to use his powers to put ideas into the head of the enemy team. Apparently they can stick there and cause a permanent impression and change the person's concepts of reality.

Rin would never accuse Sousuke of having done that to Rin, accidentally or otherwise, but he knows Sousuke did a lot of things to him in the beginning, before he figured out how to control his powers. It's not impossible that Sousuke has somehow _forced_ Rin to be attracted to him.

Even if that's the case he can't be mad at Sousuke. Perhaps if they were going back to a normal life where two guys being together would freak out people around them, maybe then Rin would feel assaulted. But since it's just him and Sousuke now and since they'll have to have sex anyway, well, maybe it's better this way anyway.

He spends the time, until Sousuke returns, preparing himself, mentally and physically. Thanks to the short film on the tablet they were given, about how to make sex work between two guys, Rin has at least some idea about what he's doing, but that doesn't mean it's not awkward as hell.

He thinks about taking a shower to calm his nerves, and actually ends up smiling because apparently he's turning into Haru now. Instead he changes to his pyjamas pants and a t-shirt, which horribly cheerful display of colours would make Nagisa proud. When the purple bottle of lube, he finds in their drawers, gets him wondering what Makoto's purple stone can actually do, Rin finally realise that he's under a shit ton of pressure, because that's when he usually have a tendency to cling to his friends, even just the thought of them.

By the time Sousuke returns to their ward, Rin is ready to call the whole thing off and just let Sousuke control Rin through a quick handjob, like they usually do. But then his eyes meets Sousuke's bright teal eyes and he knows he's done for it.

“You've been freaking out, haven't you?” Sousuke says with a soft smile that sends a wave of lust through Rin. “And you've been taking fashion tips from Nagisa, I can see.” Sousuke jokes and Rin can feel the last sliver of fear and nervousness leave his chest.

“Shut up.” He says briskly and pushes Sousuke backwards so he lands on Rin's bed. Rin climbs on top of him, straddling the top of Sousuke's thighs, so that, if he was to lean forward, he would be grinding against Sousuke's groin.

“I want you inside me.” Rin says, keeping his voice low and calm, feigning a lot more confidence than he actually feels.

“Are you sure?” Sousuke asks, eyes soft and hand coming up to run the length of Rin's thigh like he's trying to calm him. Or maybe he's just calming himself, because Sousuke looks slightly nervous, too.

“Yeah. It's not a big deal, right?” Rin shrugs. “I just have to remember to relax and use plenty of lube.”

Sousuke's face split into a wide smile. “I can't believe you've seen that video.”

“What?" Rin says, grabbing Sousuke by his short hair and pulling him in as he grinds forward. "You watched it so many times, I wanted to know what the big deal was.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basically I'm holding the next chapter hostage until you've all paid with comments! :}


	5. Makoto

It's his and Haru's first training mission, but somehow it seems like they are the two least nervous on their team. Apparently things didn't go so well last time, but in all fairness they had been one Conduit short. Now they are one over limit and maybe Makoto doesn't really have his powers under control yet, but he still thinks of himself as being pretty good in a competitive situation.

The team has been splits up into three smaller groups, Sousuke with Hana-chan on scout duty, Makoto with Haru as the tactical assassins, trying to take out the other team one by one by laying traps, and lastly Hinata with Kisumi and Kyo, the team with all the brute force who can flatten their opponents, as long as they get the chance to wield their powers without having to fear for their own safety.

Kyo tells Makoto that while the main job of a field assisting Echo is to make sure their Conduit has the energy to use their powers, it is also their job to act as a shield, because in the end an Echo can be replaced, but a Conduit is precious.

Makoto thinks that's a horrible tactic, forcing someone to sacrifice themselves to keep their partner alive, but he has to admit to himself that if it came down to him and Haru, he would probably do the same, without even thinking about it.

The guards herd them inside a circle of grass and tell them to wait for the signal. Basically it's your average game of _capture the flag_ , where the goal is to get as many as possible from their start zone to the pick up spot while capturing the flag and fighting their way past an enemy team with the same goal.

When the signal sounds he and Haru are already running, years of reaction training paying off. This race is different than being part of a relay team, though, but mainly because there are people trying to attack them.

Makoto turns just in time to see a guy from the enemy team throw metal ball at him, but the ball flies so fast that all Makoto can do, is to ready himself for the impact. It never comes, though and Makoto cautiously opens his eyes too see the ball hanging in mid-air, just in front of his chest. It's surrounded by a shimmering ball of water and he turns his head to spot Haru running up behind him, pulling dew from the grass as he moves and sending it towards the young man as small ice hails. They hit their mark with perfect precision and the young man's vest lights up red, signalling he is out of the game.

“Haru!”

“I saw them take out Hinata.” Haru says, falling in behind Makoto so they are back to back and can cover the clearing with vision. “Now would be a really good time for you to figure out how to use those powers of yours.”

“I told you. I don't think I can control them.”

“Not even to save your own skin?” Haru says and Makoto thinks it's a bit dramatic. The guy who sent the ball at him can move around metal, but he's only allowed to use the hollow balls for training, just like Haru is only allowed to send off blunt hails instead of sharp spikes of ice.

Makoto has spend most of yesterday with their trainer, trying to unlock his powers, but it seems like the purple stone in his spine will only work when Makoto is in actual danger or under high stress. This doesn't exactly qualify.

“They're here.” Someone shouts, a young woman, and she fearlessly steps into the clearing with a skinny guy trailing behind her. He's clearly her Echo, because when she closes her eyes and pulls a blue ball of energy right out of her own chest, he places a hand on her neck to recharge her.

The ball impacts where the two of them just stood, but Makoto had hurled Haru with him as he threw himself to the side.

Haru recovers fast and pulls dew from the grass in small droplets that soars into the air. With a twist of his wrist he sends the drops towards the enemy couple, freezing them in mid air. The hails impact on the Echo as he steps in front of his Conduit, doing his job perfectly by the book. Makoto can clearly hear him swear as his vest lights up and he sits down on the ground with a sour face.

The Conduit is on her own now, but she still has a few shots to fire before she'll have used up her reserves. Haru isn't that lucky, though. He's swaying on his feet and Makoto watches as Haru's knees buckle and hit the ground.

When the girl moves to pull another energy ball from her chest Makoto starts moving towards Haru. Again it's like the karuta grabbing, like standing on the starting block and waiting for the signal to sound. He's ready to move before the shot even goes off.

When the ball impacts he and Haru are already rolling over the wet grass, Haru clinging to Makoto's jacket.

There is going to be a second ball, Makoto is sure of it, but he's lost vision of the enemy, so instead he just keeps rolling them sideways. It's a pretty predictable and slow line of movement, though and the second ball would have hit Haru right in the back if the ground hadn't disappeared under them. Makoto lands on his back, Haru on top of him and cold darkness and a smell of wet dirt surrounding them.

Above him Haru is breathing heavily, eyes wide and full of panic.

It's training and it shouldn't be this terrifying, but Makoto can feel his heart pounding from anxiety and adrenalin as someone shouts above them and Makoto realizes Kisumi just used his powers to dig a hole under them.

“Get Haru back on his feet.” Kisumi calls, stopping at the edge of the hole to look down on them. “Hana spotted the flag due east.” And with those words he and Kyo are gone again.

Makoto finds Haru's eyes in the semi-darkness of the deep hole and Haru looks back at him and swallows. Makoto didn't think his heart could beat any faster than it already did, but then Haru is pulling Makoto in with a hand on the back of Makoto's head.

It's their first kiss since the night they got here, the night where they had a lot of firsts, actually, but they had both been so confused and desperate then, that it had felt unreal. Right now Haru knows exactly what he's doing, lips needy and his moans pleeding, but Makoto doesn't have time to feel happy, because the orgasm builds fast and is helped by the fact that Haru is actually grinding against him for friction.

It takes Makoto a moment to come back down, to pull himself together enough to realizes that, while this was the first time they actually _had_ to touch to recharge, the first time one of them had actually drained himself dry, it was also the first time they had actually participated. While they could have just waited for their bond to do the job for them, they had both actually wanted to be an active part of it.

Makoto's legs feel slightly weak when he gets up to peak over the edge. The clearing seems completely empty and he climbs out of the hole and reaches back for Haru, holding out his hand. It's familiar and he can't stop the smile.

“Come on, Haru-chan.” He teases and gets a small smile in return. Haru takes a steeling breath and grabs Makoto's hand, but this time there's nothing, not even a spark and Makoto feels a stab of worry as he hauls Haru out of the pit.

“Maybe...” Haru says, looking at the hand that just grabbed Makoto's. But there is no follow-up. Instead he reaches for Makoto's cheek with the other hand.

Still nothing.

“You think it was because we kissed?” Makoto suggests, feeling something painful building in his chest.

“No.” Haru says instantly. “But we should get going.”

They start running, their breaths and their feet crunching leaves and twigs being the only sound to reach Makoto's ears for almost a kilometre. When they close in on the coast line they hear someone moving in behind them and Makoto pulls Haru to a halt. Without thinking about it he grabs for Haru's hand and there's a warm rush of pleasure. It's softer than he's ever felt it before and much less invasive, but it's there and Haru feels it too.

“Makoto? Haru?” Hana-chan's voice calls out to them and Makoto turns to see that she has Sousuke with her. Sousuke is breathing heavily when he comes to a halt next to Makoto, leaning against him with a hand on Makoto's shoulder.

“I am so out of shape.” He groans, allowing Makoto to hold a bit of his weight for a moment.

“I think we've got this victory in the bag, though.” Hana-chan supplies with a cheerful smile to them both.

“Don't jinx it.” Sousuke grumbles. “Come on, freckles.” He adds and the two of them continue in a slow jog towards the flag and the pick-up spot.

“She seems to have taken to Sousuke.” Makoto says, watching their backs disappear.

“Probably because she didn't know him in school and wasn't subjected to his questionable, grumpy demeanour.” Haru deadpans, but there's a smile somewhere in his voice, even if Haru manages to keep it off his face.

 

 

Between training and their classes in anatomy and survival, they actually have a lot of free time. Haru spends much of it with Rin in the training room and Makoto doesn't follow them there. He is perfectly fine with having just a few hours where he is forced to think about something that isn't Haru, hours where he isn't staring at Haru's mouth or having to calm himself so he won't reach out and touch Haru's skin.

He spends most of the time with Sousuke, talking about movies and computer games and Rin when he was younger. It's easy and Makoto finds that he actually gets a small kick from putting a smile on Sousuke's face. Not because Sousuke is devastatingly gorgeous when he smiles, that's not why at all.

Luckily they are both so completely gone in their respective partners that it never becomes an issue, even if Makoto sometimes gets the feeling that it's an issue for said partners. He's not the only one who has noticed, either.

“Rin's not really that good at handling competition.” Sousuke says, pushing the plate of water melon towards Makoto.

“I'm not competition, though.” Makoto points out, earning a small smile from Sousuke.

“That's a non-factor.” Sousuke says and leans back on the sofa. “Don't tell me you've never been jealous at Rin.”

Makoto could lie, but it's not worth the effort. Yes, he had been jealous of Rin, even in High School when it was just the fact that Rin got to have a part of Haru that Makoto could never have. Even now, when they aren't even swimming, Makoto feels like Haru and Rin have more in common than Haru and Makoto. The difference is that it doesn't affect Makoto any more. Maybe because Haru is already his in a way he can never be Rin's.

“Does he even know? Makoto asks, trying to word it as delicately as possible. “That what he feels is jealousy?”

“I don't think his head is that far up his ass.” Sousuke replies, throwing `delicately´ to the ground. “Straight or not, Rin is possessive and competitive and my best damn friend. In his head I belong to him.”

“But you love him.” Makoto says, not even wording it as a question.

“More than he knows.” Sousuke says and for a moment he slips back to his old brooding self, Makoto knows it's not directed at him, though, and after a few seconds Sousuke takes a deep breath and continues. “I take what I can get. Even if it's one-sided.”

“It's not, though.” Makoto says, surprised that the subject doesn't seem awkward.

“More or less. I don't know, maybe things _have_ changed in the past week.” Sousuke shrugs and stretches across the table to take another piece of water melon. “While we're on the subject I have to ask, are you even gay? Or are you just gay for Haru?”

Makoto feels his cheeks flush. _Oh, there it was._ As long as the conversation wasn't about him it went fin, but as soon as the table turns he's back to being fourteen and hopeless.

“I don't really know. I think I liked a girl once and I thought Gou was really pretty-”

“Don't ever let Rin hear you say that. Trust me.”

“Anyway,” Makoto continues, with a shy smile. “Haru is the only one I remember ever wanting. Even if it wasn't like a crush or anything like that, not before the Stone.”

“So you didn't want to bone Haru when we were in High School? You showered naked together, had slumber parties-”

Of course Rin had told Sousuke. “They weren't slumber parties.”

“And you mean to tell me that through all of that, even when you were smiling at him like a lovestruck puppy, you never thought about doing the dirty with him?”

“No.” Makoto says honestly. “What about you and Rin?”

“Are you kidding? If I had allowed myself to think about Rin that way he would have smelled it and kicked my ass.”

Makoto can't stop laughing, which makes Sousuke laugh in return.

“Aw, crap.” Sousuke says and his face falls a little as he gets up from the sofa. “I promised Kisumi and Kyo I'd play target practice with them before dinner.”

“Okay.” Makoto says, giving Sousuke a bright smile. “Have fun.”

He watches Sousuke go, but doesn’t make a move to leave the common room. He eats two pieces of water melon and tries to think about all the things he liked about Haru when they were younger, all the things that had absolutely nothing to do with the coil of lust he feels when he thinks about Haru now. It was things like Haru's honesty and the way he never hesitated to take Makoto's side. It was the way he knew everything about Makoto and then pretended he didn't know and the way he'd smile sometimes, just for Makoto.

“Maybe I've always been in love with you, Haru-chan.” He mutters to himself and gets to his feet.

He leaves the common room and wanders through the wing that leads to the gardens. The gardens are twelve small, square rooms with no roofs, arranged around an open courtyard and filled with water and grass, trees and stone.

They are meant for meditation and Makoto thinks it's probably about time he came here. Not to think about Haru, but to try to find a way to unlock the power of his stone.

It doesn't matter to him, but it matters to Haru and it's true that, if Makoto had access to his power, Haru wouldn't have to exhaust himself trying to protect them both.

He stops on the steps to the courtyard, however, because there's someone in one of the gardens, crying, and it just takes him a split second to realize it's Hana-chan. Kind and happy Hana-chan with her unruly honey-blond hair and the fine spray of freckles, that has earned her a nickname from Sousuke.

Slowly he walks over and sits down next to her on the stone bench, carefully putting an arm around her.

“It's not fair. I didn't ask for this. I didn't _know_.” She says and Makoto is completely lost, but he's sure she will tell him what she wants him to know. There's no point in pressing for answers.

“My brother hates me.” She says, sniffling. “He won't look at me, he can barely force himself to touch me.”

“I'm sure your brother loves you. He's still here, isn't he?” Makoto says, remembering that Hana-chan was here bonded to her older brother. Sousuke says that their way of restoring involves Tabito having to get off and Hana-chan having to somehow _harvest_ the energy he emits when he climaxes. If they do it regularly enough and doesn't wait until Hana has drained herself completely, she can still turn invisible so Tabito won't have to look at his sister while getting off. It's just the few seconds before her brother actually comes where she'll have to touch him.

 “Only because he knows I'd die if he left!” She sobs. “Sometimes I wish he _would_ leave.”

“Hana-chan!”

“Well, it's easy for you. You're here connected to your soulmate boyfriend.”

“Look, I understand. Maybe Haru and I are a different situation, but I was the one who got us into this situation to start with. I took Haru out of his life and ruined his future and the dream he struggled to hard to find. Sometimes he comes back from the training room with his knuckles bruised and bleeding. He's in pain and I can't help him.”

“Maybe you should talk to him?” Hana-chan suggests.

“That sounds like some really good advise.” Makoto says and holds out a hand .With a shy smile Hana-chan takes it and Makoto gives it a gentle squeeze. “I guess we have a deal, then.”

“Deal.” She agrees and dries her eyes and nose in her sleeve.

 

 

When Makoto returns to his and Haru's ward Rin is there too. Haru has just left the shower and is currently drying off his hair, wearing nothing but a pair of tight boxers

Rin is sitting on Haru's bed, bare feet dangling over the side. He is dressed, but his hair is still wet and for a weak moment Makoto lets him self wonder if Rin showered here. It's stupid though. Makoto knows by now, and especially after his conversation with Sousuke today, that Rin is straight and if he were ever going to be intimate with another guy it would be Sousuke.

He's pretty sure he manages to school his face into a casual smile in time, because Rin's face lights up when he sees Makoto.

“Finally!” Rin says loudly. “We thought maybe Sousuke had contaminated you with his poor sense of direction and you had gotten lost somewhere.”

“I was in the gardens.”

“Oh. Not even I can find those.” Rin says with a very Nagisa-like pout. “But we did find this.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a green watch, Makoto's watch.

“Where did you get this?”

“Hinata batted her eyes at one of the nurses who managed to dig it out of storage.” Rin says like it's whatever. “You're going to need it. Haru and I have a plan.”

Makoto doesn't miss the very pointed look Haru shoots Rin from across the room.

“Okay, I had an idea and Haru didn't bother talking me out of it.” Rin corrects himself. “See, the way I _think_ your connection works is like a battery”

“Haru!” Makoto finds himself whining, even if he shouldn't be surprised that Haru had talked to Rin about this. It's not like Makoto had been keeping his and Haru's secrets from Sousuke.

Haru just shrugs at him and Rin continues. “If you were to touch now the connection would be fully charged and you would both cream your pants. But that's it. Once the connection has done it's job it will need to recharge. That's why you can touch right after with no effect.”

“It builds up again.” Haru contributes. “When we were in the field we ran about a kilometre before we touched again. That's about seven minutes if you account for our current shape and the fact that we were running through brush and uneven terrain.”

“So we figured that we should try to test at ten minutes and at twenty minutes.” Rin says. “See how far we can push it before the connection is charged enough that touching becomes an issue in public.”

“You both sound like Rei.” Makoto says. “But why did you go through all that trouble to get my watch back? We have a clock on the wall.”

“Oh, yeah.” Rin says, sending Haru a look. “I totally forgot. Anyway, are we going to do this or not?”

“Why do you have to be here?”

“Oh, because I'm a pervert, remember?” Rin says and scoots back in Haru's bed to get comfortable.

 

 

That night Haru pads across the floor and crawls into Makoto's bed.

“Haru.” Makoto says, surprised, but Haru just hushes him and wraps his arms around Makoto's bare chest, cold hands pressing against Makoto's skin. It's been twenty five minutes since the last time they touched and just as could be expected from their earlier results from Rin's timing tests, there is pleasure running through Makoto's body, but just enough to get him hard and dizzy, not enough to get him off.

Haru tugs his face, warm from the flush in his cheeks, into the hollow of Makoto's neck. For five very long minutes Makoto tries to figure out what's going on, but then Haru starts talking softly.

“We didn't get your watch back for the experiment.” Haru says and the warm tickle of Haru's breath on his neck makes Makoto shiver. “We got it so we can time the guards' rotation and reaction times.”

Makoto holds his breath as Haru continues whispering.

“Rin had the idea while we were on the training mission. He noticed that when we left, five teams of three guards left with us. Their stations were unprotected the whole time. We couldn't tell you earlier, because the rooms have cameras and voice recorders.” Haru presses his face closer and Makoto is sure he isn't imagining the press of lips against his throat before Haru whispers: “We're going to try to escape.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh wow this was a really long chapter.  
> To even it out the next one will be shorter.  
> “But that makes no sense,” you say and I nod in agreement. It absolutely doesn't.


	6. Sousuke

“One last time.” Kisumi begs and the frustration in his voice is tangible. With a deep sigh Sousuke opens his eyes and looks up at him, at the desperation in his purple eyes.

For a second he's tempted to give Kisumi what he asks. Sousuke's whole body feels drained and sore and honestly, he has probably already given more than what is considered safe, but there is just something about getting to use his powers, about wearing himself out and pushing himself to the brink, that reminds him of swimming competitively.

The problem is that Sousuke isn't competing against Kisumi, but against a skinny eighteen year old kid that could fit under Sousuke's arm without ducking.

“Not a chance.” Sousuke says instead, shaking his head. “Look at Kyo.”

Kisumi casts a glance over his shoulder to where his Echo is flopped out on the floor, limbs stretched out in multiple directions.

“You can't drain your Echo like that.” Sousuke continues. “They can't just recharge like we can.”

“Sorry.” Kisumi says, not directed at him, but at Kyo, who merely raises an arm and waves at them in a, _don't worry about_ it-kind of way “I guess I got carried away.”

“Yeah. “Sousuke says and gets to his feet with a grunt. Luckily he's spent a few years suppressing pain and the soreness he feels now is not really worth comparing. “You've improved a lot, though. Your reaction time is getting really good.”

“Thanks.” Kisumi says, looking more serious than what is normal for him. “Last time I was so slow. When Hinata got tapped out I should have saved her.”

“That won't happen next time.” Sousuke assure him and the two of them manage to pull Kyo up off the floor and Sousuke half carries the kid to the bed. They must have started with two beds, like Sousuke and Rin, but somewhere along the line they had pushed them together and tied the legs with cable tie. Knowing the two had been a couple before they came here, it really doesn't surprise Sousuke.

Because that's what couples do, right?

Not that he's planning to ask Rin for anything like that, not any time soon. They're still working on the touching part and on the part that involves taking each other's clothes off. And then there is the part where Sousuke still haven't managed to _not_ feel like a creep for asking Rin to recharge him, which is something Sousuke is going to have to deal with later.

For now he's got these two nerds to worry about, though.

“And you, kid!” Sousuke says smacking Kyo's foot. Kyo manages to open one eye and peak up at Sousuke. “You need to set a limit, understood? You can't let yourself get drained like this. If that happens in the field, you and Kisumi will both be screwed, okay?”

All he gets is a tired nod and a barely audible “Yes Senpai.”

 

 

 

When Rin returns to the ward that night he takes one look at Sousuke, before he breathes out heavily and mutters, “Idiot.” Rin's body is all attitude, but there is a small smile playing on his lips when he turns his back and starts stripping off his sweaty clothes and Sousuke feels himself relaxing a little.

Not that he was really expecting a scolding. On the contrary, Rin has been far better at accepting that Sousuke needs to recharge than Sousuke has. That doesn't mean it doesn't have consequences, though, because every damn time it takes at least a day before Rin is able to look Sousuke in the eyes again.

They're getting there, though. But with Rin everything is still one day at a time. Some days he keeps his distance, spending all of his free time with Haru in the training room, working off aggression at being stuck here or working his body tired so he won't be forced to feel want when he's around Sousuke. Other days he tries to be something he's not, touching Sousuke when he doesn't need to, looking at Sousuke like maybe he could lose himself in him, at least as a distraction, if nothing else.

Sousuke accepts this, accepts that the line is drawn a new place every morning, because he understands that there's a war raging inside Rin and Sousuke doesn't want to pour gasoline on an open flame

“I'm sorry.” Sousuke says, even thought he's pretty sure he just sounds relieved.

“Don't be.” Rin says and Sousuke watches from his own bed as Rin pulls his t-shirt off, watches as his back muscles stretch and coils under tan skin. “I just spend the last three hours watching Makoto and Haru getting off. I'm so horny I would have jumped you anyway. Take off your clothes.”

And apparently Rin isn't going to say that twice, because when Sousuke doesn't immediately react, too damn shell shocked to even move, Rin walks right over to where Sousuke is sitting, into Sousuke's personal space and stares down into Sousuke's face. Sousuke doesn't know what to prepare for, a kiss or being forced to submit with one of Rin's snarly fang-growls, but Rin does neither. He simply hovers, just far enough away that his features stays in focus when Sousuke's eyes roam over his face. Then Sousuke feels Rin's hands on the waistband of his sweatpants and he is pulled to his feet by strong arms, before Rin is pushing Sousuke's pants down, past the swell of Sousuke's ass and down his thighs.

Sousuke manages to snaps out of his trance when a cool rush of air reminds him that he's not wearing any underwear. He had barely had the strength to slip on a pair of sweatpants after he had showered and to be completely honest he's not sure how he had managed even that.

Rin doesn't seem the least bit concerned, however, taking Sousuke's naked body in with his eyes, like it's the first time he sees it. Which it really isn't, but maybe this is the first time Rin has let himself stare quite this hard at Sousuke.

Oddly enough Sousuke doesn't feel the least bit self-conscious. Not just because Sousuke knows he is gorgeous, thank you, but also because he is is pretty sure that Rin isn't actually equipped to appreciate Sousuke's naked body, what with it's obvious lack of boobs and hips.

But then Rin's eyes returns to Sousuke's face and he has to swallow, because Rin is definitely aroused, large pupils making the red look dark and dangerous.

“Just how drained are you?” Rin asks, hand running down Sousuke's chest, until just the fingertips connect over the lower half of Sousuke's stomach.

Sousuke's shivers. “Too drained to use my powers, that's for damn sure.”

“So this is all me, hu?” Rin says and they both take a second to consider that. It's not the first time that Rin takes initiative like this, without Sousuke being in his head, but it's definitely not the standard either.

Usually Sousuke uses his powers, one way or another, even if they've moved past the point where he has to all-out control Rin to get himself off. Since that one time where Sousuke returned from a training mission, so drained that the guards had to carry him to their ward, Rin is always the one to initiates the intimacy needed for Sousuke to recharge.

Sousuke knows most of the times it's fear that motivates Rin, fear of seeing Sousuke that weak and nearly dead again, but right now there is no fear in Rin's eyes. Just plain and unwavering lust.

“So how did you even get this drained?” Rin asks, pushing Sousuke back on the bed. Rin is still wearing briefs, but if Sousuke is to be honest, Rin could probably be fully dressed right now and Sousuke would still be this ridiculously aroused, just from the way Rin is pinning him down with his stare.

“I was training with Kisumi and Kyo.” Sousuke says, hoping he manages just a passable version of nonchalant. “It actually feels pretty good, getting to use my powers.”

Rin huffs out a breath of amusement and crawls up on Sousuke's lap. “Here I thought you just liked using _me_.”

 _Don't play with me, Rin_. He wants to say, but he already has, more than once and Rin's reply is always the same: _I never would..._

“That's definitely not a downside.” He says instead and Rin flashes him a toothy grin before he leans in to kiss along Sousuke's throat. Sousuke lets Rin stay in control for an excruciating five minutes, before he finally can't keep his hands off for another second. He cubs Rin's ass and pulls him closer, pulls him in so their cocks rub against each other. Rin manages to keep quiet, but his fingers dig into the muscle of Sousuke's shoulders and the next time their cocks grind together, it's because Rin moves his hips, setting up a slow rhythm.

Sousuke doesn't mind, because that leaves him free to focus on other parts of Rin, on caressing his way up the back of Rin's thighs, on sucking marks into the soft skin of Rin's shoulder, on letting a hand slide into Rin's briefs, fingertips searching out the rim of Rin's ass.

He leans back, resting the bridge of his shoulders against the wall and Rin follows him down, because their mouths are currently busy sharing needy moans. This new position leaves Sousuke better access to Rin's ass and he rubs around the rim, slowly massaging until Rin squirms.

“Stop teasing.” Rin growls and slides off Sousuke, probably to go get the lube, but Sousuke stops him, by grabbing his wrist.

“I'm not going to fuck you. Come back here.” He says and pulls gently on Rin's arm.

“Why not?” Rin says and Sousuke isn't sure if he imagines the note of disappointment in Rin's voice.

“I don't have the strength.” He admits, meeting Rin's eyes. “Just keep touching me. I really won't last long, anyway.” _Not when you look at me like that_ , he adds in his head.

But Rin doesn't climb back on top of Sousuke. Instead he walks over to get the lube and when he returns he stops between Sousuke's legs, puts his hands on Sousuke's thighs and pulls. Sousuke is dragged until he's resting entirely on his back and his ass just barely sits on the edge of the bed. Then Rin kneels down and Sousuke's whole body reacts when Rin closes his lips over the tip of Sousuke's cock, sucking the head and letting his tongue slide up the length of it.

“Holy crap.” Sousuke croaks out. “You don't have to-”

“Just keep still. “Rin says and with one hand around the base of Sousuke's cock he starts to move his head, swallowing down as much of Sousuke as he can, in a way that Sousuke is pretty sure Rin must have learned from that video on the tablet they were so kindly given. There was nothing in the video that Sousuke didn't already know, but he's still watched it a few, _okay many_ , times, not that he'll apologize for that.

It takes a while for Sousuke to realize that Rin's other hand is busy with something else and from the angle Sousuke assumes Rin is actually stretching his own ass open. He doesn't stop Rin this time, because that would be implying that Sousuke thinks they're only doing this for Sousuke's sake and all things considered, that would be pretty damn rude. Because there is no mistaking the look of lust on Rin's face as he works Sousuke's cock with his mouth and hand.

It's obvious that Rin wants this, wants to stretch himself open so Sousuke can be inside him again, and the thought that Rin had actually liked it enough to want it again, almost makes Sousuke come in Rin's mouth.

Instead he wraps his fingers in Rin's hair and pulls him off.

“I'm really close.” He says, trying his best to make sure it doesn't sound like an apology. It's just, if Rin wants this to happen it better happen really damn soon.

Luckily Rin understands as much, because he gets to his feet and Sousuke is not surprised that Rin's briefs are now no where to be seen. Rin's own cock is hard and Sousuke reaches for it as Rin straddles him again, sliding down over Sousuke's cock with surprising ease.

The tight heat that surrounds him is enough to send a rush of pleasure through Sousuke's whole body and when Rin starts moving, he quickly loses track of anything that isn't the feel of Rin around him or the uncoordinated slide of his own hand around Rin's cock.

It's over so fast, but Sousuke can't bring himself to feel ashamed about it. Not even as Rin finishes himself off with a facial expression that Sousuke is pretty sure he manages to store in his long term memory for future reference. When Rin has come, laces of white decorating Sousuke's chest and stomach, he gets up and leaves. Sousuke watches him as he walks away, but either Rin takes too long to clean up, or Sousuke is just too tired, because he slips off to sleep before Rin returns.

 

 

“Sousuke, you still awake?”

Sousuke drags himself from the warm limbo of almost-sleep, following Rin's voice. Without opening his eyes he hums to let Rin know he's listening.

“Good, just pretend to be asleep.” Rin says and climbs into Sousuke's bed. Sousuke isn't sure how long Rin has been gone. It could have been minutes or hours, but at least Sousuke is now lying the right way around in his bed, his chest surprisingly come-free and the lights have been turned off.

“You woke me up so I could pretend to be asleep?”

“Wha- No!” Rin says and Sousuke feels Rin slip under the covers, pressing close against Sousuke's side. Sousuke is slightly surprised by how not-awkward it feels and decides that this is definitely something they'll need to do more often. But then Rin's hand closes around Soususke's wrist, slight tug to let him know, once again, to pay attention and not drift back into sleep.

“We're getting off this island.” Rin whispers into Sousuke's ear and suddenly Sousuke is wide awake. “I have a plan. All I need is some way to spread the word.”

Sousuke turns his head to meet Rin's eyes in the semi-darkness and there is nothing there to hint that Rin could be joking. Which means there is no reason why Sousuke should treat Rin's words as anything less than gospel.

“You want me to use my powers? Put the plan in their heads?”

“Exactly.” Rin says, smiling. They go over the details in hushed voices and Sousuke does his best to remember all of Rin's ridiculously elaborate plan, all while Rin has the nerve to run his fingers over Sousuke's stomach and chest.

At least, when they've gone over the entire plan, every possible problem and a long string on contingency plans, Rin doesn't go back to his own bed.

 

 

“Isn't it weird that most of the Conduits are, you know?” Makoto asks as the four of them sit together in the common room. They have all four become so comfortable around each other that the physical distance between them is basically non-existent. Rin is perched on the back of the sofa with Sousuke sitting between his spread legs. If Sousuke were to lean his head back just a centimetre, he would be resting it against Rin's crotch, which is something Sousuke is currently very aware of.

Next to Sousuke on the sofa is Makoto, his warm thigh pressed against Sousuke's in a casual display of comfort. Haru sits with his back leaned against Makoto's side, with Makoto's arm slung over his shoulder.

The two touch a lot more now, since Rin had to go and figure out how to defuse the orgasmic time bomb that, apparently, was the only thing keeping the two love birds from creeping the rest of the team out. Okay, maybe that's unfair. They aren't making out or anything and the constant touches are more cute displays of reassurance, than they are actually nausea-inducing.

“Varying degrees of not straight?” Sousuke offers innocently, because it's not like Makoto and Haru has admitted openly that they're having sex now, even if it's not required for them to recharge. Sousuke just kind of assumes, like he always has.

“What do you mean, _most_?” Rin says.

“Hana-chan.” Makoto says, giving the name as evidence. Just the fact that Makoto doesn't give his own name tells Sousuke all he needs to know.

“She made out with Gou once.” Rin says quickly. “I caught them, but promised Gou never to tell. Next.”

“What did she promise you in return?” Makoto wonders, just as Haru turns his head and asks, “Did she threaten you?”, with narrowed eyes.

“Next.” Rin repeats. To be honest Sousuke doesn't even know what is making Rin so evasive, but he pretends he does and marks down for later that he has to sneak it out of him.

“Well, that just leaves Kisumi.” Makoto says, pressing a finger to his chin as he thinks. “And I'm not really sure about him, because I still haven't been able to figure out what gender Kyo is.”

“Kyo definitely have male parts.” Sousuke says quickly, finally able to contribute.

“But he was so popular with the girls.” Makoto says, earning a condescend scruff from Haru. “Are you sure he's gay?”

“Nah, bisexual.” Sousuke says casually. “Or bi-curious. Something like that. He was pretty curious when we were younger, at least.”

“You had _sex_?” All three of them choir

“Jeez, what do you think of me? We were kids. We fooled around.” Sousuke's can feel his cheeks flush, but mostly he thinks he manages to look like it's not a big deal. “I'm surprised he's managed to keep his mouth shut about it.”

It's a low blow and he probably wouldn't have said it if Kisumi were here. Sousuke knows Kisumi had no possible way of knowing what was going on when he told Makoto and Haru about Sousuke's shoulder. It's not like Kisumi can't keep a secret.

At least he's not the kind of guy who kiss and tell. Unlike Sousuke, apparently.

Kisumi had always been pretty in the traditional way and when they were younger the girls would flock around him. To get away from them he would cling to Rin and Sousuke, in the hope that the two rough boys would be enough to scare the girls away. When Rin left it had just been Sousuke and Kisumi and for a couple of years they had been each other's best friends, even after Kisumi went to another middle school to follow his passion for basketball.

In truth Kisumi just got prettier as he matured and Sousuke isn't ashamed to admit that his first dirty fantasies had been about pink hair and purple eyes.

He was surprised, to say the least, when Kisumi was the one to take the first step.

It happened more than once and usually when Kisumi slept over at Sousuke's house, because in Kisumi's house there was a nosy twin sister and a screaming baby.

Sousuke remembers being desperately scared that Kisumi would end up telling one of his new friends at his new school, would let his mouth run off in his eager to be accepted. Not that Kisumi was stupid, but the girls were always flocking around him and if he had been desperate enough to get the other boys to understand that he didn't actually want their attention-

In the end it was Sousuke's parents, of all people, who figured out what was going on and they moved the family to Tokyo, which was fine, whatever. Sousuke got to go to one of the best swimming schools in the country.

That's when he realized that Haru wasn't showing up to the swimming competitions any more and that he had turned his back to the agreement he and Sousuke had made: to work hard and be the best, so they could be there to swim with Rin and support his dream, because Rin always swam better when he was with his friends.

It had taken Sousuke too long to understand the last part. He though he would need to be Rin's rival to push him in the water. He didn't understand that Rin didn't need to be pushed. He needed to be inspired.

You would have thought that after learning that lesson once, Sousuke would have been smart enough to apply that information to their relationship, too.

“Hey guys.” Kisumi says plopping down on the sofa opposite them. He looks absolutely worn, but still manages to give them a bright smile. “Kyo and I was wondering if you'd come join us in the gardens?”

 

 

“It's the only place where there is no surveillance.” Kisumi says when they step out into the fresh air.

“How can you be sure?” Rin asks as they gather in the middle of the courtyard. Sousuke haven't been here before and he instantly regrets it. Compared to the closed-up, sterile wards this is liberating. Peaceful instead of eerily quiet.

“Everything out here is either made of stone or in contact with air or water.” Kisumi explains with a dazzling smile. “It took Kyo and I all day, but we managed to scan the whole area.”

No wonder he is looking so tired.

“So what's the plan?” Kisumi asks when Rin takes the map of the island out, the one Haru had drawn yesterday.

“At any given time there are six patrol teams of three men guarding the coast line.” Rin explains. “Except when you guys go on your field trips, then there's just the one team left and they stay here,” He points at the map. “in the small harbour on the south side. I think getting the Echo's off the island will be the easiest.”

“Getting the Conduits out will be hard,” Sousuke agrees. “Hana and I counted at least twenty guards spread all over the training area when we were scouting.”

“You think you could get in their heads?” Rin asks him.

“No, that's too many.” Sousuke admits.” Maybe up to six of them, but I wouldn't be worth much afterwards. I definitely wouldn't be able to swim that far if I tried.”

“When you get tapped out you're supposed to go back to the start zone and wait.” Makoto says, drawing invisible lines on the map with his finger. “But most of the guards patrol between here and the flag, heavily concentrated around the pick-up spot.”

“So we let ourselves be tapped out.” Rin says and Makoto nods. Silence falls and Sousuke can feel a rush of excitement, because this might actually work.

“This isn't risk free, you all realise that, right?” Rin says after a while, looking around them all. “The Guards have real guns and even if we make it out, they have a helicopter on standby. Not to mention it's a pretty damn long swim over open water.”

“I don't think Makoto and I should go.” Haru says suddenly from somewhere behind them. He's snug away to one of the gardens, one with a small pond, and is crouched next to it with his fingers in the water. “Makoto can't swim that far.”

“I'm not handicapped, Haru.” Makoto says, looking slightly hurt. “Haru can control water. Maybe he could help me cross?”

“And if we could find a small boat, even just tie enough branches together, I could get the Echoes across. With Kyo's help.” Kisumi says and smiles at Kyo in that gooey, lovestruck way of his.

Sousuke has been around Kisumi a lot since they got here, been alone with him and hung out with him and Kyo, just the three of them. If he hadn't just been thinking about the old days, of him and Kisumi making out under Sousuke's covers, he might not even have cared. As is, he does care a little. Not that he wants Kisumi, there are absolutely no residual emotions there. But at one point Kisumi was his.

Maybe that kind of connection never goes away.

In that way Makoto and Haru are lucky. Because they have always been.

“Aki can swim.” Rin says, counting on his fingers. “Me and Sousuke, Haru and Makoto.” He ignores the scowl Haru sends him. “That leaves just four for Kisumi to lead across and Haru can help too, he doesn't wear out like Kisumi does.”

“So we're doing this?” Haru says, not taking his eyes off the water.

“We're doing this.” Rin says and looks at them all in turn, ending on Sousuke.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this was far harder to write than it had any reason to be. But after people got a little miffed that I broke off the sexy stuff between Rin and Sou in Rin's chapter, I wanted to write some smut in this chapter instead. Luckily it fit in really well, but it took me ages! Which means this chapter was really delayed, sorry!


	7. Makoto

The night before the training mission they all go to bed early. Kisumi complains, but Aki reminds him that some people actually have to make an effort to recharge their Conduits, unlike Kyo that just have to be there, looking pretty.

“Aww, come on Aki. I do all the work anyway.” Hinata says with a wink, poking her girlfriend's ribs. “Besides, the feeling you get from the connection is a pretty sweet bonus.”

“True.” Aki agrees, her cheeks a pretty shade of pink. “Good enough to turn straight boys gay, apparently.”

“Hey!” Rin growls loudly, eyes narrowing.

“Pretend all you want, Rin Rin.” Hinata says in an almost perfect imitation of her younger bother. “Our room is right next to yours.”

Luckily Rin has matured enough to take the innocent teasing in good stride and Makoto doesn't feel bad about laughing along with the rest of them. Even Haru has a small smile on his face and Makoto is reminded that Haru smiling is one of the most beautiful thing he's ever seen, even if it's hard to compare anything to Haru when he swims. But really, everything about Haru is beautiful, Makoto has always thought so. Maybe that should have been enough to tell Makoto just how badly in love with his best friend he was, instead of brushing it aside as something pure like brotherly affection.

He wonders if it's the same for Haru.

The day after they had arrived here, Haru had denied having wanted other things from Makoto before their connection. But so many things have happened since then. Haru had kissed him, even if he hadn't needed to. But it had felt natural, just like every other physical thing they've done together, as if they had been doing it their whole lives.

They say goodnight to the rest of the team, everyone being slightly awkward, because there is no getting around what's going to happen when they lock themselves away in their respective wards.

The only couple that lingers in the common room is Hana-chan and her brother Tabito, but Makoto knows they have finally talked things through and found an understanding they can both feel comfortable with. Makoto is happy for them, even knowing that it will never stop being a tense and painful situation, no matter how many precautions they take, no matter how hard they work to rebuild their relationship to account for something like forced sexual intimacy.

Makoto wonders if it's like that for Rin and Sousuke too. If they have had to rebuild their relationship or if they have been able to build off the foundation like Makoto and Haru had.

Of course, Makoto thinks, as he and Haru undresses for bed, it helps that, unlike Rin and Sousuke, the nature of Makoto and Haru's connection means that recharging is practically a non-issue.

Rin thinks they are idiots for not abusing their connection, went as far as to question if they were even male, which earned him a cold stare from Haru.

It's not that Makoto feels any shame at sharing something that intimate with Haru, not any more at least. Once, when they were younger, Makoto had woken up in the middle of the night from a wet dream, so close to coming, but not quite there. Haru had been asleep on a futon right next to Makoto's bed and Makoto had fought to calm himself down, because if he were to get out of bed and go to the bath room, Haru would definitely wake up, assuming he hadn't already.

Even to this day Makoto thinks it would have been better if he had come in his sleep, because it might have been really awkward, but things like that could happen for young teens. Instead he had to lie awake, uncomfortable and ashamed, with Haru right there, while Makoto's dumb teen hormones tried to convince him that maybe he could just finish himself off quietly without waking Haru.

There is no way thirteen year old Makoto would have believed him if now-Makoto were to tell him, that seven years later he would be getting off with Haru, hands clasping and eyes interlocking for as long as they can both focus enough to keep them open.

They clean up in silence, but Makoto knows it's not awkwardness that is keeping them both from talking. It's the prospect of what's to come tomorrow and Makoto is not surprised when Haru slips into Makoto's bed, rather than his own, once they've turned off the lights.

“Just put your arms around me and pretend to fall asleep.” Haru whispers and Makoto does as he's told. He presses a soft kiss to Haru's forehead, pretends it's to make the illusion look more real for the cameras, and Haru moves one leg to wrap over Makoto's. Makoto knows this is staged, but that doesn't mean it's fake. The way Haru tugs his face into the crook of Makoto's neck, the way his fingertips gently, almost unintentionally, brushes over Makoto's skin.

They lay like that for almost fifteen minutes and Makoto realises that, while their connection might stay drained, due to their skin against skin contact, just having Haru this close does things to Makoto's body. He definitely doesn't need Haru to accidentally press against his crotch to know he's getting hard. Haru tilts his head back and looks at Makoto, but there is no judgement in his eyes, just a hint of amusement.

“I think it's safe now.” Makoto whispers, just to divert Haru's attention to something else.

“I didn't come over here to conspire.” Haru whispers back.

“But you told me to-”

“Yeah, and it was very effective.” Haru says with a small smile. “Maybe I should take advantage of that.”

“Haru!”

“Put your hands on my body and pretend to like it.” Haru teases and Makoto can't stop the soft laugh that bubbles up from somewhere in his chest.

“I don't have to pretend, Haru-chan.” Makoto says after forcing his face serious, knowing by now that, while Haru can be ridiculously suggestive end say the dirtiest words Makoto has ever heard, he cannot stop the blush that rises to his cheeks when Makoto says gushy things.

Haru is quiet for so long afterwards that Makoto almost manages to gather the courage to ask if Haru would mind trying the whole kissing-thing again, but with out all the panic. But then Haru speaks and Makoto feels like he has been thrown a curveball.

“I think you're really stupid for trying to swim off this island tomorrow.” Haru mutters quietly. “I know you want to go home, but you're risking your life. Half way across your kidney is going to be overworked and you'll cramp up. You'll might even have a seizure and drown”

“I know.” Makoto says, because it's a scenario that has played may times in his head since the first time Haru whispered about his and Rin's plan to escape.

“Then why?” Haru presses.

“Haru!”

“I know, I'm being selfish. But if you drowned out there tomorrow - I would be losing you and the ocean at the same time. I can't.”

Makoto knew Haru was against him trying to swim across to shore, but he hadn't even imagined it was because Haru had been that scared of losing Makoto. Instead he had been annoyed that Haru had so little faith in him. How could he have though that about Haru?

Haru loves him, Makoto knows this already. He's here, after all and unlike a lot of the others, who had been taken here to be Echoes, Haru had chosen it. He had chosen to give up on his dream to be what Makoto needed. But if Haru really loves him then he needs to understand why they absolutely have to leave this place.

“Haru, if we stay here they'll use us for actual combat.” Makoto begins to explain. “They wouldn't spend all these resources on finding us, making us into weapons and training us, if they weren't going to use us. And even if we're lucky and only have to kill bad guys, Haru, we're not invincible.”

“I know that.”

“So tell me what you're feeling now, thinking that I might die tomorrow. And then imagine having to feel that way every single night for the rest of our lives.”

He can see Haru's blue eyes in the semi-darkness, see how huge and scared they are and for a ridiculous moment Makoto wants to take it all back, to chase that look off Haru's face and then make sure he'll never have to see it again.

Then Haru is moving, pushing himself up in the bed to press his mouth against Makoto's, desperately and hard.

Makoto responds by casting all doubts overboard. With an elbow against the mattress and the other hand grabbing the smooth side of Haru's stomach, he moves so he's hovering over Haru without breaking the kiss. From this position he can fit their mouths together more naturally and let his hand roam Haru's chest.

Haru's hands are both grabbing at Makoto's hips, fingers digging in and Haru lets a string of moans leave his mouth. Using his hold on Makoto, Haru lifts his own hips up to grind against Makoto, again and again, until Makoto has to break the kiss, just to regain a bit of hold on reality. It's so easy for Makoto to lose himself in Haru, the taste of his mouth, the smell of him that is so familiar, even mixed with the smell of Haru's arousal that Makoto is just slowly getting to know.

Looking down at Haru, he realizes that Haru is already close. His pupils are blown wide and he looks very unhappy about Makoto stopping. To make up for the pause Makoto moves his free hand from Haru's chest to his stomach, slowing down when he reaches the elastic of Haru's pyjamas pants, giving Haru a chance to stop him.

Instead Haru's hand covers his and Haru takes the lead, pushing Makoto's hand under the waistband, all the way to grab around Haru's hard cock in one smooth move.

“If you can manage not to come before I'm done, I'll ride you afterwards.” Haru says and for the first time Makoto gets to fully appreciate Haru's dirty mouth.

It turns out _not coming_ is pretty easy, because Haru deliberately keeps his hands on Makoto's sides, just a reassuring caress of fingers, and Makoto keeps his focus on Haru, on the feel of Haru's cock in his hand, on the way Haru moans when he picks up a certain pace and rhythm. He loses himself in getting Haru off as much as he had in kissing him and when Haru comes, Makoto has to re-evaluate his long-held belief, that Haru is more beautiful in the water than anywhere else.

It only takes Haru a minute to collect himself and slide off the bed. He goes to open a drawer in their dresser and returns with a purple bottle of what Makoto assumes to be lube.

“Touch yourself.” Haru says as he settles between Makoto's spread legs and Makoto swallows, because Haru is actually serious about this, which of course. Haru wouldn’t offer something he wasn't willing to give.

Slowly, feeling a lot more self-conscious than he probably should, Makoto starts stroking himself. His cock had softened a lot while he had been focused on Haru, which is probably a good thing, because Haru ends up taking quite a while to stretch himself open and the wrecked look on Haru's face doesn't help Makoto keep his head even.

When Haru finally moves to straddle Makoto's hips there's a worried look on his face and Makoto sits up, supported by one hand while the other runs through Haru's tousled hair, ending on the nape of Haru's neck so Makoto can pull him in for a soft kiss.

“You know I love you, right?” He asks softly, looking into Haru's eyes, so dark that it's impossible to see they are actually blue.

The blush on Haru's cheeks is instant and Haru turns his face away, but just a little.

“Do you always say gushy things like that during sex?” Haru asks, but his fingers are digging into Makoto's thigh like he's forgotten that he's holding on to it and not the sheets.

“I wouldn’t know.” Makoto says with a soft smile. “I've never been with anyone before.”

Haru's head snaps back, eyes boring into Makoto's to look for the lie. When all he is met with is Makoto's soft smile, he blushes even more. Makoto assumes that means Haru probably have.

Maybe that's not surprising considering Haru's apparent level of experience with what they're doing right now, considering Haru's relaxed relationship with his own body, considering the fact that Haru is a beautiful young man living in a pretty liberal part of Tokyo.

Actually, considering all three of those points, it's pretty fair to assume Haru's been aware that he's gay for a whole lot longer than Makoto has.

“Hey,” Makoto says, hand rubbing Haru's thigh. “I'm really glad you can take the lead on this.” He hopes Haru can hear the unwavering sincerity in Makoto's voice.

With a soft snort Haru smiles and nods. Then he wraps his hand around Makoto's cock and begins stroking it. Haru's hand is still covered in lube and the slide of his hand feels more amazing than anything Makoto has ever felt before.

He's never had anyone touch him like this and the fact that it's Haru is enough to make Makoto feel light-headed. Then Haru moves to reposition himself, angling Makoto's cock and sliding on, slowly and gradually, while he lets himself adjust. Makoto feels like his whole body is on fire. His heart is hammering away, sending waves of blood pounding through his veins, down to his crotch, making every nerve ending over-sensitive.

When Haru finally starts moving Makoto is already too close. To keep himself from coming so embarrassingly fast, he wraps his hand around Haru's semi-hard cock and starts to stroke it in the same pace as Haru's movements.

He can't keep his focus, though, and he tumbles over the edge long before Haru ever gets there, but Haru seems to be fine with finishing himself off, while he looks down on Makoto with lidded eyes.

Makoto watches as Haru's comes a second time, a few warm spurts landing lazily on Makoto's stomach, but there is absolutely no part of him that cares enough to leave the bed to clean it off. Instead he uses his covers and throws them aside on the floor. It's not like he'll be cold anyway, with Haru pressed against him as they drift off to sleep.

 

 

As soon as the signal sounds the three groups spread out in each their direction. Makoto and Haru heads for higher terrain, knowing that they'll have to find and defeat at least one enemy to not draw suspicion too early.

Rin had asked for at least half an hour to get everyone from their wing to the gardens and over the wall. From there they will have a short run to the cliffs, before they have to climb down the slippery cliff side. He had gathered the skipping ropes from the training room and Hinata had managed to convince one of the janitors that she had an OCD'ish need to clean her room and he had let er have a broom. Rin is going to hammer the broom stick into the ground with a stone and use it as an anchor for their climbing rope.

Makoto thinks it all sounds pretty dangerous, but he has to trust that Rin can handle it. Rin, Aki and Tabito are going to swim to the east side and start building the rafts in the cover of the forest there and then meet them on the beach near the start zone.

Makoto gets distracted, thinking about how many things that can go wrong, and Haru has to push him to the ground as the forest floor in front of them starts moving, twisting and swirling into the shape of a giant clay monster.

The words _Understand your enemy's powers_ , flashes in Makoto's head. Luckily adrenalin does really good things for Makoto's concentration and he quickly scans the woods for a good spot where a summoner could hide safely while controlling the monster. Holding together a clay monster like this has to be really draining, so the Conduit will likely have an Echo nearby to keep strong. But there is also a pretty good chance the Echo can move far enough away from the Conduit to run scout, since the Conduit won't actually be able to see Makoto and Haru from a position out of view.

Just then there's a very life-like bird call from somewhere to their left, but Makoto has learned enough from all his family camping trips to know that no bird would be singing pretty songs this close by, not with them making such a racket.

He signals Haru, who takes the long way around the clay monster and Makoto slowly backs away from the monster, making sure it follows him and not Haru. It takes less than thirty seconds for Haru to return, looking satisfied.

“How long are you going to last with out your Echo?” Makoto asks loud enough to reach in between the threes. “If you give up before you drain yourself dry you'll have a chance to run away and make it to the flag.”

There's a short pause where the clay monster seems to be dropping large chunks of it's body mass on the ground, before it all comes crashing down. Then there's movement on their left and Haru takes his time unscrewing the lid of his water flask, drawing out a shimmering water orb and sending in flying. It hits the running Conduit in the back and his vest lights up.

Swearing, the Conduit kicks a fallen branch and Makoto and Haru watches as he teams up with his Echo and the two begins their walk back to their team's start zone.

“I forget sometimes.” Haru says and swirls the water orb a few times around his hand before he lets it splash back into his flask. “How different you are when you're competing.”

“How so?” Makoto asks, raising his eyebrows.

“You become much more confident.” Haru says with a shrug. “It suits you.”

Makoto can't help smiling, but then he remembers what they're supposed to be doing, what they are going to do next and the smile leaves his face.

Haru doesn't miss it. “Are you scared?”

“I don't know.” Makoto says, looking east where he can see the ocean through the trees. The surface is calm and bright blue. “I- Sometimes I feel like I'm back in middle school and everything still frightens me.”

“You were scared of the ocean. You were scared of darkness and things that didn't exist. You were scared that you weren't a good big brother when you couldn't protect the twins.” Haru summarises with a soft expression.

“Sometimes I still feel that way.” Makoto whispers. “When Ren was in that accident.”

“You saved him then.” Haru reminds him. “And you saved him again, now. He's walking right now because of you.”

“And look where that's gotten me. Where it's gotten us.” And he draws in a large breath of air so he can say the next thing without having to stop, so he doesn't risk Haru interrupting him. “I did this Haru and I am so sorry. I wasn't thinking. I ruined everything for you, I took your dream away and I put us both in this horrible situation. Please forgive me Haru, please. Even if I can't forgive myself.”

Haru stares at him with wide eyes and his mouth falls open. “Makoto.”

There, it's out now and Makoto can't stop the tears from welling up in his eyes, from overflowing and running down his face. He sees Haru move, even if the image is blurred by tears. Haru's face moves in close, but he doesn't kiss Makoto. Instead his hands come up to cup Makoto's face.

“I think you're strong and kind and brave.” Haru says, thumb stroking away a trail of tears. “I think you make up demons in your head, like the monster in the ocean and the creatures in the darkness. I think you create things you know you can't possibly conquer on your own, because you don't want to _be_ alone.”

“Haru?”

“You remember the time you went to the ocean and stood there for hours until I found you? You were wondering if you could be okay even if I weren't there. If I could be okay without you,”

“That was so stupid.”

“The thing is, Makoto, and I should have told you this back then. But you'll never have to find out, okay?” Haru says. “No matter what.”

Makoto knows that he's trembling. His chest is hurting with every beat of his heart and his throat closes, making his voice useless. Instead he leans in and cups Haru's face in both hands, pressing their lips together. Haru responds by dropping his hands from Makoto's jaw, instead fisting them in the front of Makoto's jacket so he can pull himself against Makoto's chest.

“I love you.” Haru says as they break apart and his eyes are slightly damp. “No matter what happens today, just remember that.”

There's a deep rumble somewhere behind them, like stone grinding against stone, and they pull apart.

“That was Kisumi's signal.” Haru says. “Should I go first or do you want to?”

“I have a better idea.” Makoto says with a smile. “How about we go down together?”

“You are so dramatic.” Haru says, but the smile on his face stays on as they both start moving down through the woods, walking side by side without touching. They'll need to recharge before they actually go into the water, because Haru is going to need all the power he can get, so for now they keep apart, letting their connection reach full power for maximum effect.

Knowing that the other team already have an idea where they are, they make just enough noise to be heard as they move. They are tapped out before five minutes have passed, both being taken out by a soft charge of electricity that sends them to the ground with their vests lighting up red. Not exactly the heroic death scene from the movies.

As they make their way to the start zone Makoto feels his nerves returning, but he knows their plan is solid, knows that even if everything falls apart and they are caught, they are still worth too much for the guards to actually hurt them.

As they close in on the start zone a few images starts flashing through Makoto's head, pictures of guards and their positions marked on Haru's map, and he sends a silent thanks to Sousuke as they dodge around the guards stationed up ahead. Sousuke greets them at the start zone and with his powers he shows them both what they're up against – one guard hovering in the low shrubs to their left, two standing point at the beach.

The rest of the team, all except Hana-chan, have made it to the start zone, but for all Makoto knows she could be standing close by in her invisible state.

“Hana-chan?” Makoto asks, but there is no response. He looks to Sousuke, thinking that maybe Sousuke is able to feel her mind somewhere close by, but the other man just shrugs, looking worried.

“You guys go ahead, I'll wait for her here.” Sousuke says, apparently deciding that it's safe enough to talk, or maybe it just doesn't matter any more, because the wheels are already in motion

“You sure?” Haru asks and it's obvious that he's not willing to leave Sousuke behind. Honestly Makoto feels the same way, but Sousuke just waves them off.

“We're already running low on time.” Sousuke says. “Rin is waiting with the rest just west of here. If you don't take out the guards on the beach they'll get caught.”

Kisumi and Kyo are the first to move out, with Hinata on their heals. Makoto looks from Sousuke to Haru, hoping for a battle plan that doesn't involves splitting up at this point, but Haru just shrugs, which leaves Makoto to make the final decision.

Makoto can't shake the feeling that leaving Sousuke behind now is an epically bad idea, but at least Sousuke is right about one thing. They are running out of time.

With a nod to Sousuke Makoto and Haru leave him on his own, standing in the round patch of grass that symbolizes their start zone. The others are putting together a plan when they catch up with them in the tall, reedy brush leading to the beach. They agree that Hinata's force wave is the only thing that can take out guards without seriously injuring them and Kisumi puts himself in charge of distractions.

He worms his way to the edge of the sandy beach, to get eyes of the guards there and with deep concentration he makes the sand collapse under the guards. At the same time Hinata is charging her force wave and after a few seconds delay, a wave of pure white light knocks both guards out with a single blow.

Haru is up next and while Makoto and Kyo disarms the guards and disable their communication, he pulls water in from the ocean, like it's is a living creature that bends to his will alone. He encases them in each their air-filled bobble and freezes it solid with a flick of a wrist.

As soon as the guards are taken care off Rin, Tabito and Aki joins them on the beach. They have four thick bundles of hazel sticks tied with skipping rope, one for each of the weakest swimmers, to help keep them afloat. Aki hands hers over to Hinata along with a tender kiss and Rin hands one of his bundles to Kyo with a pad on the shoulder.

Rin just barely manages to say the words, “Glad to see everyone has managed to stick to the plan, except Sousuke...” before the alarms sounds from up the coast, blaring loudly over the entire island.

“They must have realized the Echo's are missing.” Hinata says, looking slightly panicked.

“Where the fuck _is_ Sousuke?” Rin growls and turns towards the start zone. Just then two figures come into view, but it's not Sousuke and Hana. It's two black-clad guards and just a few seconds later more follow. They point their guns at the Echoes, at the only targets they are actually allowed to shoot, and call for them to surrender. Makoto looks around at the rest of his team and just from a single glance he knows that none of them are planning to do any surrendering.

This is what they've been trained for, after all, to take down their enemy, even enemies with guns. But for a few seconds no one moves, because no one is willing to make the first move, both sides realizing that there is no way to get out of this with out having to injure or kill.

That's when one of the guards, blank expression on his face, turns around and shoots one of the others in the leg. There's a few seconds of chaos and then the Conduits moves into action.

Sousuke joins the fight as soon as one of Hinata's shock blasts takes out the guard he was controlling and Hana appears out of nowhere and kicks one of the guards in the groin with a high-pitched, “Sorry!”

Makoto and Kisumi get in front of the Echoes, shielding them with their bodies so the guards can't shoot at them without risk hitting the two of them instead. Haru pulls water in from the ocean, long tentacles that wrap around the wrists and torsos of two guards. He freezes the water-robes, leaving the guards unable to move, but while controlling water doesn't drain Haru much, the ice does and he falls to his knees in the sand.

For a moment it seems like their team has gotten the upper hand and maybe it's the pressure that has one of the guards deciding to not give a crap about orders, about the price of a Conduit's life, because he raises his arm and points his gun at the easiest target on the beach and Makoto thinks his heart is going to stop working as he realizes that the target is Haru.

“Stop!” Makoto yells, running towards Haru to shield him with his own body, even though he knows he's going to be too late.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "What the ACTUAL Hell!" you are yelling at your screen right now, yes I can hear you. Continue screaming.  
> Feel better now? Good. If you have been following this from the start you will probably have noticed the pretty /7 in the chapter count. Well, I went and change that.
> 
> You are welcome.


	8. Haru

Haru can't explain how, but somehow he feels the gun being pointed at him.

He's on his knees in the sand, body so drained from his last effort to save Makoto and the Echoes, that he can barely keep his head up. But then he feels the hair on the back of his neck stand and he lifts his eyes to see the blurred outline of a guard, while the mouth of the gun somehow seems sharper than anything Haru has ever seen.

Maybe it's because he knows that this is what is going to end his life.

He hears Makoto calling out, the desperation in his voice sending a chill through Haru's weakened body and somewhere behind he he feels Makoto. He feels Makoto's panic through their connection, feels him starting to move, ready to throw himself between Haru and the bullet, but Haru knows he'll be too late. Unless Makoto's power is super speed, and somehow Haru doubts that.

But the shot is never fired.

The guard holding the gun goes limp and out of the corner of his eyes Haru sees the remaining guards dropping like flies, as if they were drones being shut down _._ They aren't the only ones, though, but while the guards falls to the ground right where they stand, as if their bodies just gives up, the Echoes are hovering with their toes a few centimetres above ground, heads lowered and eyes closed. All four of them are surrounded by shimmering orbs of light.

Makoto's knees hit the sand somewhere behind Haru and he slides the rest of the way from the speed he had build while running. He just barely manages to wrap an arm around Haru's chest before Haru passes out, too, letting his entire weight fall back against Makoto's chest.

 

 

He's not out for long, though. Makoto presses his lips to the pulse point in Haru's neck and holds the kiss while the orgasm builds in them both. While Makoto's mouth might be occupied, Haru's isn't and the moan that leaves his mouth, rising from deep in his throat, is unrestrained and loud.

He feels his body being charged up instantly, feels the world snap back into focus. Makoto still has his arms wrapped around Haru's chest, one hand pressing against Haru's heart, and Haru isn't sure if that's on purpose. He tries to sits up, even if Makoto seems unwilling to let go of him just yet, and looks around them.

“What the hell?” Sousuke says, standing opposite Rin who is still floating in his orb of light, and Haru agrees with the sentiment. To their left Kisumi touches a tentative finger to Kyo's orb and is send to the ground with a small cry. The light around Kyo flickers slightly before it stabilizes and inside the cocoon Kyo seems to move, just an irregularity in his breathing that is quickly calmed away.

“They're alive.” Kisumi whispers, sounding so damn grateful, even if Kyo's shield had just zapped him violently. Haru is slightly annoyed to feel his chest pound in sympathy, because Kisumi is so emotional, all the time. That doesn't mean Haru should share his emotion. “You're okay, baby. You're alive.”

“I think they're asleep.” Sousuke says, studying Rin through the shield. He walks over to the guards Haru had bound with ice chains and nudges one of them with the tip of his boot. Then he kicks a little harder. “Did you do this, Makoto?”

“I guess.” Makoto mutters and he's clearly uncomfortable. It shows on his face and paints his voice and Haru has no trouble reading what's going on inside Makoto's head right now.

 _Is this who I am? Someone who puts people to sleep_? That is what Makoto is thinking, Haru has no doubts. He wants to step closer and put Makoto's fears to rest.

 _No, Makoto. You protect them. Look at your friends, not you enemies_. Haru thinks, but Makoto isn't looking at Haru, so he can't see Haru's reassurance.

“Well they're floating, so maybe we can somehow push them over the water.” Sousuke says and walks over to pull a hazel stick from one of the bundles. Haru looks to Makoto, hoping Makoto will say what they're both thinking before Sousuke does something stupid, but Makoto just looks on with a weary expression.

“Sousuke. Don't-” Kisumi finally says, but Sousuke doesn't listen. He walks over and puts the end of the stick against Rin's orb, clearly with the intends to see if he can push it in front of him, but just like Kisumi he is send to the ground with a sharp intake of breath and a cut-off swear word.

“The shields are there to protect them.” Haru says. “There's nothing we can do until they wear off on their own.”

“So we're stuck here?” Hana says and Hinata puts an arm around her shoulder. “We're never getting off this island, are we?”

Sousuke's face is a jumble of emotions that Haru can't read, but in the end he gets to his feet, gets right up in Makoto's face.

“You! Undo this!” Sousuke growls and Makoto's eyes widen, but he doesn't back away, which is really impressive, because Haru remembers all to well what it's like having that anger directed at him. That's when Haru realizes that Makoto doesn't just look like he's given up. He looks worn.

“Hey, hey!” Hinata says, trying to wedge her way between the two with a nervous smile that must run in the family. “This would be a lot easier if we keep the tone friendly!”

“Back off, Sousuke.” Haru says, not feeling as friendly as Hinata.

“You know, we've never had a purple stone before.” A voice says behind them and they all turn around to see a woman approaching. It's the young asian woman who welcomed them the first day, but she's not alone. Next to her waddles a seven meter long spectral crocodile. It's body seems to be made up of tiny blue lights, like a universe of stolen, trapped stars. When the two come to a halt in front of the team, she leans against the beast, her shoulder the same hight as the crocodile's raised head. “We had bets going on what your power would be.”

“You're a Conduit.” Sousuke says, sounding perfectly unimpressed, both by the woman and her gigantic reptile.. Why he is even bothering to talk to her is a riddle to Haru, and not one he cares a whole lot about finding the answer to. What he cares about is the way she is looking at Makoto and the way Makoto isn't looking at anyone, eyes distant and his face pale.

“I'm the first Conduit, actually.” She says and drags her predatory eyes off Makoto to smile at Sousuke.

“That doesn't make you one of us.” Sousuke continues and that's the last thing Haru hears of their conversation, because while the woman talks, Sousuke moves Haru into an illusion, a staged setting inside Haru's own head and Haru realizes that Sousuke got the woman talking to stall, to buy himself time to communicate with Haru.

The two of them are back in Iwatobi SC for the local tournament in their third year of High School. Haru's back is against the vending machine and Sousuke is crowding into his space, just like they had been standing back then. Haru does his best to impose the thought of, _really_? hoping it's reflected on his face, even if this is all controlled by Sousuke and Haru has no real control here.

But okay, it's not like Haru doesn't get it. Sousuke has done a lot of things to make up for his behaviour back then, but there is obviously still a part of Sousuke that wants to go back in time and set things right. Which is why he has picked this setting, a setting that symbolizes their rivalry, now used to highlight their current state of friendship.

Back then the conversation had been about Rin, just like all their other conversations had been before that moment, but this time it turns out to be about Makoto.

“You have to find a way to make Makoto stop.” Sousuke says. “He's going to drain himself dry.”

Haru can't actually answer, but perhaps his real body, the one standing on the beach and not in Iwatobi SC, manages to convey a bit of his confusion, because Sousuke sighs and continues.

“Makoto said he can only use his powers when he's under pressure or feels the need to defend himself or others, right? Well, he used them to protect you. So make him relax. Use the connection to make him understand that you're safe, that he can stop trying to protect you now.”

Makoto is still using his powers? Haru hadn't even thought of that, hadn't realized that the reason why everyone are still asleep, is because Makoto is still fighting to protect Haru, probably will continue until he's drained himself completely.

But of course Sousuke would understand. If anyone understands what it's like to continue fighting, even while you're ruining yourself, it must be Sousuke.

“Try touching him.” Sousuke continues. “The connection should be pretty drained right now, so it shouldn't be an issue, with, you know.”

Haru does know and he's glad that Sousuke doesn't elaborate, because he's standing really close. Really damn close, actually, and Haru doesn't need to talk to Sousuke about orgasms while their chests are practically pressed against each other.

As soon as Sousuke lets Haru out of the illusion and they return to the beach, Haru reaches out and takes Makoto's hand, feeling the slight tingle from their connection. Makoto turns his head and looks at Haru like he's somehow surprised and Haru realizes, with a wave of odd emotion running through his chest, that while the two of them have done a lot of things at this point, they haven't actually held hands before.

He swallows and then smiles up at Makoto, letting his thumb caress over the soft skin of Makoto's hand. Haru tries to let Makoto know, in the most reassuring way he knows, that he is fine, that Makoto is being worried for no reason.

Maybe their connection really helps, or maybe it's because Makoto has always been able to read Haru so well, but what ever it is, Makoto actually does relax. He squeezes Haru's hand gently and just as Makoto returns Haru's smile, the shields surrounding the Echoes goes down and they drop down on the sand. Around them the guards starts waking up, too, but most of them are still trapped by ice chains or sand.

“Oh, wow.” The woman says, looking around. “That silent communication you have going on is really impressive.”

“Not really.” Haru says while he and Makoto pulls Rin to his feet, putting themselves in front of him again, because a few of the guards are reaching for their guns. Haru wants to tell her that she's in way over her head. That she has no idea who she is dealing with, but he keeps his mouth shut, because it's just so much better if she figures it out on her own.

“You know, they told me I was being reckless when I decided to put you all on the same team. I told them, “Nah. They're smart enough to realize why running away and causing trouble would be a bad idea.” Apparently I was wrong. So let me summarize your situation for you.” She smiles and lets a hand slide down the back of her crocodile. “Let's start with Rin.”

Rin still looks slightly confused and Haru has to admit that the current situation is pretty hard to decipher when you have been asleep for most of the build-up.

“Rin. We picked you up in the middle of the night from your home in another country, but the police aren't looking for you right now. Do you understand? We are above the law and we give the orders.” She makes a _what can you do?_ -face and shrugs. “If that isn't enough incentive for you to do as we say, then think about your family, think about that little sister of yours. You don't want her to get hurt, do you?”

Haru and Makoto both have to grab hold of Rin to keep him from running at her, but luckily they were prepared, knowing that Rin is controlled more by his emotions, than anything else.

“Makoto.” The woman continues, shifting her focus and Haru can feel the anger rush within him. “You know young Ren has the gene, too, right?” She leaves the unspoken threat hanging in the air for a few seconds and Haru knows just then, that he is going to kill this person and not feel bad about it.

“You might be able to run and hide, but at what cost?” She continues and Haru wonders if he can control the water inside her body against her, but then Makoto speaks, voice low and dangerous like Haru has never heard it.

“If you even think about it-” Makoto says. His whole body is shaking with anger and Haru realizes that this is Makoto. This is his friend faced with a real enemy, not an imaginary one, and in this moment Makoto is fearless.

“He knows us, your parents know us. They'd sign the legal papers and we'd have him in a helicopter before even your fastest swimmer could make it to shore. And who's to say what could happen to Gou or Hayato or Nagisa in that time?” She says, looking to Rin and Kisumi.

“Why would we bother swimming to shore to warn people,” Sousuke asks. “when we could just stop you, right here and now?”

“Oh, I think Haru is planning to do a lot more than just _stop_ me.” she smiles sweetly, looking completely unconcerned. “But I'm not that easy to kill.” And she reaches back over her shoulder and grabs a hold of her shirt, pulling the material until it slides up past her shoulder blades and with a smile she turns around so they can see her exposed back.

Haru can't help feeling sick. All along her spine, between what looks like every single vertebrae, sits a stone. Haru recognises them all from the slide show on the tablet, knows every property and power she apparently possesses in her rainbow of different colours – all of them, probably, except for the purple one.

“Don't worry. I don't have any interest in fighting any of you.” She says and lets her shirt slide back down as she faces them again. “Conduits are precious and rare and we have far too big plans for your little team to risk hurting any of you. Especially not Makoto. I can see why you are willing to kill me to protect him, Haru. A stone like that. Such potential.”

Haru feels the words like a slap to the face. The mere idea that he would only want to protect Makoto because of the stone in his back, the thought that Makoto wouldn't be precious with out it. There's a look on Makoto's face, though, like he almost believes her.

“So you know what? I'll let you leave. You're free to go.” She turns her back and starts to walk off. The crocodile looks at them for a few more seconds before it turns and waddles after it's summoner.

“Such a waste.” Her voice says inside Haru's head, clear as if she was standing right next to him. “Knowing that Makoto's body will give in half way. Does it hurt, Haru, knowing you'll have to watch him drown?”

The guards hang back for a few more minutes, but none of them seem like they are in a fighting mood. Instead they gather their stuff and limps off and Haru has a crazy thought that maybe they shouldn't be allowed to. But then Makoto's hand slips into his and he looks over to see the plea on Makoto's face, saying: _Just let them go Haru, it's not worth it._

Haru isn't sure he agrees.

“Are we going?” Aki asks, but she doesn't even sound like she wants to.

“They just threatened all of our families.” Tabito says. “You heard her. She can probably do what ever she wants. Not just on this island, but also out there. She has a stone like Sousuke and I bet she knows exactly how to twist people's mind and manipulate them.” Maybe it would sound cowardly, but coming from quiet, level.-headed Tabito it just sounds like good reasoning.

“So we're going to stay?” Aki asks, changing the question, even if it still sounds like she's asking the same thing.

“Looks like it.” Hinata says, when no one else answers. “I'm not risking Nagisa's life.”

So they agree to stay. It sounds like everyone of them has someone out there, who they want to protect, who they are afraid to lose. Haru agrees too, because the only ones he's truly afraid to lose are with him on the island.

 

  

The sounds of machine guns move closer and Haru slides down with his back against the wall, sediment and rubble falling from the polished surface and even that small sound seems too loud in his ears. He slowly unscrews the lid of his flask, pulling the water into the air and scatters it into drops. The air is too hot for ice, he'd use up every last ounce of his remaining powers if he tried, and even then it would probably be for nothing, unless back up arrives soon.

Instead he gathers the drops again and moves the shimmering orb out past the edge of the wall, scanning the area in the reflection.

“There are four on my left.” He whispers into the comms on his sleeve. “At least one of them has heavy weaponry.”

“We're closing in on your location, Haru. Just stay put.” Rin says in his earpiece and a picture of Rin and Hana flashes in Haru's head from Sousuke, focusing on the street sign behind them that tells Haru they they are just a few blocks away.

They had finally been allowed, after long debates and countless threats made by both sides, to take the Echoes with them into combat. Maybe they were at risk out here in the field, but to be honest, it wasn't like they were much safer back in base camp.

“I've got civilians here.” Makoto says over the comms. “Looks like a mother and four children.”

“Bubble them if you have the strength for it.” Rin instructs, as always the man with the overview. He probably knows exactly how much power each of them have left. “Is the cargo secure?”

“Yeah” Makoto says and there's a pause where he probably checks if that's still true. “Hinata says their heart rates are stable.”

They had discovered that Hinata's force waves could be focused and redirected, instead of just bursting out of her in one all-draining move. Now she could use her powers as a defibrillator and even monitor heart rates.

“Makoto, you're all clear to proceed to the Rally Point.” Rin says. “ All is cleared ahead. We just need group three to secure the last stretch.”

“I'm on it.” Haru says as quietly as he can and checks the reflection in his water orb. They must have heard him though, because there is movement and Haru crouches down further. He has managed to go this far with out getting shot, all of them have, actually, and he is not about to be the one to break their team's record now.

“We're at your position, Haru.” Kisumi says. “We have eyes on your unfriendlies. Can you give us a bit of cover fire?” Haru knows Kisumi doesn't mean actual cover fire. That is the point of their team. In and out, no shots fired. Just their powers that, in the end, will leave no trace that they were ever here, except stories told by those who had seen them in action, but who would believe them?

“I'm running low.” Haru admits and blinks the sweat out of his eyes.

“I'll be there in a few minutes.” Makoto's voice says in his ear. “Feel free to push yourself, just don't pass out.”

Haru takes a deep breath and steels himself, takes one last look in the reflection of his water orb to make sure he'll hit his targets, before he splits the orb into smaller portions and gets to his feet in a quick move. He sends the ice shards flying, hitting all four targets in their exposed throats, just as Kisumi opens the ground to swallow up the bodies and guns - one less piece of evidence, that they were ever here.

Haru can feel himself swaying on his feet, but Kisumi and Kyo comes running around a corner and the two of them grab Haru just in time and supports him the rest of the way to the Rally Point.

There they are met by Rin, Hana and Sousuke, who all puts reassuring hands on the three of them as they group up.

“Rally Point cleared, Makoto. Come on in.” Rin says over their comms and it's just another minute before a large group of people come into view. Hinata, Aki and Tabito are in front and behind them are Makoto, leading three hovering light orbs.

“Frankie? The targets are secure. I repeat, the targets are secure.” Rin says to their and turns to Sousuke, resting his forehead against Sousuke's chest. “You can send in the helicopters now.”

Haru is pretty sure he thinks this has been their worst mission yet, even if things had worked exactly according to plan. Missions were just always a bit more tense and draining when the team were split up like they had been this time and on top of that, it had been the first mission since they had been put in charge of Search and Rescue a year ago, where Makoto and Haru had been split up.

They don't rush to touch each other, though, not any more. A bit of the urgency is gone, schooled away after having seen each other drained out too many times. The fact that they are both on their feet is a victory in itself.

But they do walk towards each other, stopping just close enough that Haru has to lean his head back slightly to look up into Makoto's green eyes.

“It feels like drowning.” Haru says and for a moment Makoto just blinks down at him, looking puzzled. “You asked me, when we were in training, how I felt knowing that you might die.”

“Haru, that was so long ago.” Makoto says with real wonder in his voice.

“Yeah, but it still feels like that. Every single time.” And he reaches for Makoto's hand, not giving a damn that the entire team is there, watching.

Instead, though, he is taken by surprise as Makoto leans in for a kiss and the point of connection makes Haru's body feel alive with caged-up lust. Haru feels Makoto's hand wrapping itself in his hair and Haru closes the last remaining distance, pressing his body against Makoto's. Pleasure builds and coils and Haru isn't sure how they both keep on their feet as the orgasms washes through their bodies.

“I'm never getting tired of watching that.” Sousuke says and Haru probably would feel a little shameful, if he hadn't gotten so used to it by now. But then again, probably not even then.

“And Frankie? Bring two pairs of clean pants.” Rin adds over the comm with a toothy grin. “After all, we can't have the birthday boy arriving to his own party in soiled pants. What would his family say, if they saw him like that?"”

Haru almost tells Rin that he is ridiculous and that his jokes are getting old, but then Makoto thumbs at Haru's lower lip and Haru decides there are much better ways to use his mouth.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> What do you think? I know a lot of you wanted them to get out, but I am so sorry, that was never going to happen. Instead they get to be Big Fucking Heroes, saving lives and shit. I hope that's cool too.  
>   
> I really want to thank everyone who's commented along the way. Your support means the world. Comments is the only pay I get for writing this and you guys have been so lovely and kind, so virtual hugs for you all!
> 
> Love, Lulu.

**Author's Note:**

> Remember to let me know your thoughts on the story as it progresses. I can't change anything at this point, but I'll appreciate any feedback you can give.  
> Even if it's just exclamation marks.


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